MHB Another second order non homogeneous ODE....

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The discussion centers on solving a second-order non-homogeneous ordinary differential equation (ODE) presented by the user ssh. The initial step involves finding the general solution of the associated homogeneous ODE, leading to the derivation of a first-order ODE. The solutions for the particular case are expressed in terms of independent functions, ultimately yielding a general solution for the non-homogeneous ODE. Additionally, the discussion touches on the challenges of finding series solutions for related ODEs, particularly noting the singularity at x=0. The overall procedure demonstrates a systematic approach to solving second-order linear ODEs with variable coefficients.
chisigma
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Four days ago on mathhelpforum.com the user ssh [I don’t know if he the same as in MHB…] has proposed the following second order complete linear ODE…

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} – \frac{2+x}{x}\ y^{\ ’}\ + \frac{2+x}{x^{2}}\ y = x\ e^{x}$ (1)

… and till now no satisfactory solution has been supplied. Well!... now we have the opportunity to test the procedure described in…

http://www.mathhelpboards.com/f17/how-solve-differential-equation-second-order-linear-variable-coefficient-2089/index2.html

The first step is to find the general solution of the incomplete ODE...

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} – \frac{2+x}{x}\ y^{\ ’}\ + \frac{2+x}{x^{2}}\ y = 0$ (2)

If u and v are two independent solution of (2) then we arrive to write...

$\displaystyle (v\ u^{\ ''} - u\ v^{\ ''}) = \frac{2+x}{x}\ (v\ u^{\ '} - u\ v^{\ '})$ (3)

... and setting $z= v\ u^{\ '} - u\ v^{\ '}$ we obtain the first order ODE...

$\displaystyle z^{\ '}= \frac{2+x}{x}\ z$ (4)

... one solution of which is $\displaystyle z=x^{2}\ e^{x}$, so that is...

$\displaystyle \frac{z}{v^{2}} = \frac{d}{d x} (\frac{u}{v}) = \frac{x^{2}\ e^{x}}{v^{2}} \implies u= v\ \int \frac{x^{2}\ e^{x}}{v^{2}}\ dx$ (5)

It is easy enough to see that $v=x$ is solution of (2) so that…

$\displaystyle u= x\ \int e^{x}\ dx = x\ e^{x}$ (6)

Now that we have u and v we have to find the particular solution of (1) in the form...

$\displaystyle Y= C_{1}(x)\ u + C_{2} (x)\ v$ (7)

... where...

$\displaystyle C_{1}(x) = - \int \frac{ v\ \varphi(x)}{W_{u,v}(x)}\ dx$

$\displaystyle C_{2}(x) = \int \frac{ u\ \varphi(x)}{W_{u,v}(x)}\ dx$ (8)

The Wronskian is computed as $\displaystyle W_{u,v} (x)= u\ v^{\ '}-v\ u^{\ '} = - x^{2}\ e^{x}$ and is $\displaystyle \varphi(x)= x\ e^{x}$ so that we obtain...

$\displaystyle C_{1}(x)= \int dx = x$

$\displaystyle C_{2}(x)= - \int \frac{d x}{x}= \ln \frac{1}{|x|}$ (9)

... and the general solution of (1) is...

$\displaystyle y(x)= c_{1}\ x\ e^{x} + c_{2}\ x + x^{2}\ e^{x} + x\ \ln \frac{1}{|x|}$ (10)

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
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For completeness sake now we describe the general solving procedure of an ODE of the type...

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} + p(x)\ y^{\ ’}\ + q(x)\ y = \varphi(x)$ (1)

The first step is to find the general solution of the incomplete ODE...

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} + p(x)\ y^{\ ’}\ + q(x)\ y = 0$ (2)... which can be written as... $y(x)= c_{1}\ u(x) + c_{2}\ v(x)$ (3)... where u(*) and v(*) are two independent solutions of (2), $c_{1}$ and $c_{2}$ are constants. If u and v are both solution of (2) then ...

$\displaystyle u^{\ ''} + p(x)\ u^{\ ’}\ + q(x)\ u = 0$

$\displaystyle v^{\ ''} + p(x)\ v^{\ ’}\ + q(x)\ v = 0$ (4)

Multiplying the first of the (4) by v, the second by u and subtracting is...

$\displaystyle (v\ u^{\ ''} - u\ v^{\ ''}) = - p(x)\ (v\ u^{\ '} - u\ v^{\ '})$ (5)

... and setting $z= v\ u^{\ '} - u\ v^{\ '}$ we obtain the first order ODE...

$\displaystyle z^{\ '}= - p(x)\ z$ (6)

... one solution of which is $\displaystyle z = e^{- \int p(x)\ dx}$, so that is...

$\displaystyle \frac{d}{d x} (\frac{u}{v}) = \frac{z}{v^{2}} \implies u= v\ \int \frac{z}{v^{2}}\ dx$ (7)

... and the (7) allows to obtain, if we are able to find a solution v of (2), another solution u independent from it.

Now that we have u and v we have to find the particular solution of (1) in the form...

$\displaystyle Y= C_{1}(x)\ u + C_{2} (x)\ v$ (8)

... where...

$\displaystyle C_{1}(x) = - \int \frac{ v\ \varphi(x)}{W_{u,v}(x)}\ dx$

$\displaystyle C_{2}(x) = \int \frac{ u\ \varphi(x)}{W_{u,v}(x)}\ dx$ (9)

... the Wronskian of u and v being...

$\displaystyle W_{u,v} (x)= u\ v^{\ '}-v\ u^{\ '}$ (9)

The general solution of (1) is...

$\displaystyle y(x)= \{c_{1} + C_{1} (x)\}\ u(x) + \{c_{2} + C_{2}(x)\}\ v(x) $ (10)

The procedure we have described permits a comfortable solution of an ODE like (1). The only 'weak point' is that it can start only if a particular solution of the incomplete ODE is known and that sometime can be an hard task...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
An interesting example of second order linear incomplete ODE can be found in mathhelpforum.com...

series solution!

The ODE is...

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} + (1+\frac{1}{x})\ y^{\ '} - \frac{1}{x^{2}}=0$ (1)

... and for that a 'series solution' is explicity required. Applying the procedure we have described in previous post we arrive at the first order ODE...

$\displaystyle z^{\ '} = -(1+\frac{1}{x})\ z$ (2)

... one solution of which is...

$\displaystyle z= \frac{e^{-x}}{x}$ (3)

... so that if u and v are two independent solutions of (1) then is...

$\displaystyle u= v\ \int \frac{e^{-x}}{x\ v^{2}}\ dx$ (4)

Now $v= \frac{e^{-x}}{x}$ is solution of (1) so that we obtain...

$\displaystyle u= \frac{e^{-x}}{x}\ \int x\ e^{x}\ dx = \frac{x-1}{x}$ (5)... so that the general solution of (1) is...

$\displaystyle y(x)=c_{1}\ \frac{x-1}{x} + c_{2}\ \frac{e^{-x}}{x}$ (6)

Observing (6) it is obvious that any non zero solution of (1) has a singularity in x=0 and therefore the standard Mc Laurin series solution attempt necessarly fails...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
chisigma said:
... so that the general solution of (1) is...

$\displaystyle y(x)=c_{1}\ \frac{x-1}{x} + c_{2}\ \frac{e^{-x}}{x}$ (6)

Observing (6) it is obvious that any non zero solution of (1) has a singularity in x=0 and therefore the standard Mc Laurin series solution attempt necessarly fails...

Of course that is not fully true, because in the particular case $\displaystyle c_{2}=c_{1}=c$ the series solution do exist and is...

$\displaystyle y(x)= c\ \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} (-1)^{n+1}\ \frac{x^{n}}{(n+1)!}$

In this case however is $y(0)=0$ and You can only impose a value to $y^{\ '}(0)$...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
Last edited:
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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