Differential Equation expression help

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
7 replies · 3K views
Moonflower
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
Here's the question:

Let f be the function satisfying f'(x)=x[tex]\sqrt{f(x)}[/tex] for all real numbers where f(3)=25.

a. Find f''(3)

b. Write an expression for y-f(x0 by solving the differential equation [tex]\frac{dy}{dx}[/tex] = x[tex]\sqrt{y}[/tex] with the initial condition of f(3)=25.




For a, I got [tex]\frac{x^2}{2}[/tex]+[tex]\sqrt{f(x)}[/tex], so my answer was [tex]\frac{19}{2}[/tex].

For b, I immediately substituted, getting dy/dx=3sqrt(25). then, dy/dx=15 -> dy=15dx -> integrate, y=15x+c, and since the initial condition is f(3)=25, by substitution, C=-20. My answer in the end was y=15x-20.

Am I on the right track? Thanks.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I haven't actually studied differential equations, so I don't know any methods to solve them, and this is coming from my own intuition so I advise you to read with caution :smile:

[tex]\frac{dy}{dx}=x\sqrt{y}[/tex]

[tex]y=\left(\frac{x^2}{4}+c}\right)^2[/tex]

would satisfy this differential.

I don't quite understand what part b) is asking though. Part a) is pretty easy if you know what the function is.
 
How did you get to that result? It satisfies, but I couldn't reach that result..
 
Moonflower said:
How did you get to that result? It satisfies, but I couldn't reach that result..

Separation of Variables. Also, your expression for the second derivative was correct, but 19/2 isn't so check your arithmetic.
 
well, 9/2 + 5 is 19/2, or 9.5 isn't it?

Also, can you describe me the process?

thanks.
 
Ahh foolish me, I put in x=5 rather than x=3, you are correct.

To separate variables, start with [tex] \frac{dy}{dx}=x\sqrt{y}[/tex] and then take over the [itex]\sqrt{y}[/itex] term to give [tex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{y}}\frac{dy}{dx} = x[/tex], then integrate both sides with respect to x.
 
Moonflower said:
How did you get to that result? It satisfies, but I couldn't reach that result..

This part is important to note:
Mentallic said:
I don't know any methods to solve them, and this is coming from my own intuition

I just realized that to get the square root of the function and have an x multiplied by it, I need a quadratic of the form ax2+c taking all to the 2nd power since we are going to minus one from the power, which is also the square root.

So we have [tex]y=(ax^2+c)^2[/tex] and then [tex]y'=2(ax^2+c).2ax=4ax(ax^2+c)[/tex]

Now we need a=1/4 to satisfy the problem.
 
Oh and Gib Z's method works much better for those that don't simply notice it! It did take longer to solve, but there, I've learned differentials.