Differential Equations System Solutions

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around solving a system of first-order differential equations with initial conditions. The equations involve derivatives of two functions, y_1 and y_2, and are linked through a matrix with specified eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Participants are exploring the solution methods for both the homogeneous and inhomogeneous parts of the system.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the separation of the homogeneous and particular solutions, questioning how to find the particular solution for the inhomogeneous system. There are attempts to derive the general solution using eigenvalues and eigenvectors, as well as discussions on fitting solutions to initial conditions.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided insights into the structure of the general solution and the necessity of incorporating a particular solution. There is an ongoing exploration of how to reconcile the coefficients obtained from different approaches with the expected solution forms.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the challenge of matching coefficients for the exponential terms in the solutions and the implications of the initial conditions on the general solution. There is also mention of a method to transform the system to simplify finding the particular solution, which involves adjusting the variables based on the constant terms in the equations.

dmoney123
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Homework Statement



Consider the initial value problem for the system of first-order differential equations

y_1' = -2y_2+1, y_1(0)=2

y_2' = -8y_1+2, y_2(0)=-1

If the matrix

[ 0 -2
-8 0 ]

has eigenvalues and eigenvectors L_1= -4 V_1= [ 1
2 ]

L_2=4 V_2= [ 1
-2]

then its solution will be:

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
e^(-4t) +e^ (4t) from eigenvalues

multiply by respective eigenvectors and set to initial conditions gives 2 sets of equations and two unknown coefficients

2=c_1*e^(-4t)+c_2*e^(4t)
-1=c_1*2e^(-4t)+c_2*-2e^(4t)

c_1=3/4

c_2=5/4

I am very confident with these values being right for the coefficients, I know need to know how to use these to form a general solution.

I plug these values back into get

y_1=3/4e^(-4t)+5/4e^(4t)
y_2=3/2e^(-4t)-5/2e^(4t)
Then solution given is

y_1(t)=5/4e^(4t)+1/2e^(-4t)+1/4,
y_2(t)=-5/2e^(4t)+e^(-4t)+1/2

any help is appreciated! thanks!
 
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dmoney123 said:

Homework Statement



Consider the initial value problem for the system of first-order differential equations

y_1' = -2y_2+1, y_1(0)=2

y_2' = -8y_1+2, y_2(0)=-1

If the matrix

[ 0 -2
-8 0 ]

has eigenvalues and eigenvectors L_1= -4 V_1= [ 1
2 ]

L_2=4 V_2= [ 1
-2]

then its solution will be:

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
e^(-4t) +e^ (4t) from eigenvalues
This is the solution of the homogeneous part only. The system is inhomogeneous, you have to add the particular solution of the equations to the general solution of the homogeneous part.
 
ehild said:
This is the solution of the homogeneous part only. The system is inhomogeneous, you have to add the particular solution of the equations to the general solution of the homogeneous part.

I have not encountered this type of problem before. How do you go about finding the particular solution?
 
dmoney123 said:
I have not encountered this type of problem before. How do you go about finding the particular solution?
It is simple in this case. Set both y1'=0 and y2' =0. What are y1 and y2 then?
 
ehild said:
It is simple in this case. Set both y1'=0 and y2' =0. What are y1 and y2 then?

Okay, I work this out to y_1=1/4 and y_2=1/2...

which seems to fit in the equation... but I am still not really sure why the coefficients for the e^(-4t) don't seem to match the solution
 
dmoney123 said:
Okay, I work this out to y_1=1/4 and y_2=1/2...

which seems to fit in the equation... but I am still not really sure why the coefficients for the e^(-4t) don't seem to match the solution
The general solution is
y1=c1e-4t+c2e4t+1/4
y2=c1e-4t+c2e4t+1/2

Fit these equations to the initial conditions y1(0)=2, y2(0)=-1.
 
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ehild said:
The general solution is
y1=c1e-4t+c2e4t+1/4
y2=c1e-4t+c2e4t+1/2

Fit these equations to the initial conditions y1(0)=2, y2(0)=-1.

Thank you so much! That makes total sense!
 
You are welcome. :)
 
iHere is how I would have done this, without using "matrices": differentiate the first equation again to get y_1''= -2y_2'. But from the second equation, y_2'= -8y_1+ 2 so that y_1''= -2(-8y_1+ 2)= 16y_1- 4 or y_1''- 16y_1= -4. The associated homogeneous equation, y_1''- 16y= 0 has characteristic equation r^2- 16= 0 which has roots r= 4 and r= -4 so the general solution to the associated homogeneous equation is y(t)= C_1e^{4t}+ C_2e^{-4t}.

Now new look for a particular solution to the entire equation. Since the right hand, "non-homogeneous", part is the constant -4, we try a solution of the form y= A for A some constant. Then y'= y''= 0 so the equation becomes 0- 16A= -4 and A= 1/4.

That is, y_1(t)= C_1e^{4t}+ C_2e^{-4t}+ \frac{1}{4}. Now, we can write the first equation, y_1'= -2y_2+ 1 is the same as 2y_2= -y_1'+ 1 or y_1= -(1/2)y_2'+ 1/2. Since y_1(t)= C_1e^4t+ C_2e^{-4t}+ \frac{1}{4}, y_1'= 4C_1e^{4t}- 4C_2e^{-4t}, -(1/2)y_2'= -2C_1e^{4t}+ 2e^{-4t} and y_1(t)= -2C_1e^{4t}+ 2C_2e^{-4t}+ 1/2.
 
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  • #10
dmoney123 said:

Homework Statement



Consider the initial value problem for the system of first-order differential equations

y_1' = -2y_2+1, y_1(0)=2

y_2' = -8y_1+2, y_2(0)=-1

If the matrix

[ 0 -2
-8 0 ]

has eigenvalues and eigenvectors L_1= -4 V_1= [ 1
2 ]

L_2=4 V_2= [ 1
-2]

then its solution will be:

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
e^(-4t) +e^ (4t) from eigenvalues

multiply by respective eigenvectors and set to initial conditions gives 2 sets of equations and two unknown coefficients

2=c_1*e^(-4t)+c_2*e^(4t)
-1=c_1*2e^(-4t)+c_2*-2e^(4t)

c_1=3/4

c_2=5/4

I am very confident with these values being right for the coefficients, I know need to know how to use these to form a general solution.

I plug these values back into get

y_1=3/4e^(-4t)+5/4e^(4t)
y_2=3/2e^(-4t)-5/2e^(4t)
Then solution given is

y_1(t)=5/4e^(4t)+1/2e^(-4t)+1/4,
y_2(t)=-5/2e^(4t)+e^(-4t)+1/2

any help is appreciated! thanks!

Re-write your system as
y_1&#039; = -2y_2 + 1 = -2\left(y_2 - \frac{1}{2} \right) \\<br /> y_2&#039; = -8y_1+2 = -8\left(y_1 - \frac{1}{4} \right)
Since ##d(y_1 - 1/4)/dt = dy_1/dt## and ##d(y_2 - 1/2)/dt = dy_2/dt##, the variables ##Y_1 = y_1 - 1/4## and ##Y_2 = y_2 - 1/2)## satisfy the homogeneous system
Y_1&#039; = -2Y_2\\<br /> Y_2&#039; = -8 Y_1<br />
You can easily figure out the boundary values ##Y_1(0), \, Y_2(0)##.

This type of trick always works whenever the non-homogeneous terms on the right are constants.
 

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