Fundamental Matrices in Differential Equations

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on finding the fundamental matrix for a system of differential equations represented by x' = \left(\stackrel{1}{5}\stackrel{ -1}{ -3}\right)x. The eigenvalues identified are r_{1}= -1 + i and r_{2}= -1 - i, leading to a general solution involving exponential and trigonometric functions. The specific solution for the initial condition x(0) = I was initially misunderstood, but the author clarified that substituting '0' for 't' resolved the confusion, confirming the specific solution as x = e^{-t}\left(\stackrel{cos(t) + 2sin(t)}{5sin(t)}\right).

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of eigenvalues and eigenvectors in linear algebra.
  • Familiarity with solving systems of differential equations.
  • Knowledge of matrix exponentiation and fundamental matrices.
  • Proficiency in trigonometric functions and their applications in differential equations.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the process of finding eigenvalues and eigenvectors in depth.
  • Learn about the method of undetermined coefficients for solving differential equations.
  • Explore the concept of fundamental matrices in more complex systems of equations.
  • Investigate initial value problems and their solutions in the context of differential equations.
USEFUL FOR

Students and professionals in mathematics, particularly those focusing on differential equations, linear algebra, and systems analysis. This discussion is beneficial for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of fundamental matrices and initial value problems.

rocketboy
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The question:

Find the fundamental matrix for the given system of equations, and then find the specific solution to satisfy x(0) = I.

x' = [tex]\left(\stackrel{1}{5}\stackrel{ -1}{ -3}\right)[/tex]x

My solution:

I found the eigenvalues to be r[tex]_{1}[/tex]= -1 + i and r[tex]_{2}[/tex]= -1 - i

I then found the corresponding eigenvectors, and obtained a general solution as follows:

x = c[tex]_{1}[/tex]e[tex]^{-t}\left(\stackrel{cos(t)}{2cos(t)+sin(t)}\right)[/tex] + c[tex]_{2}[/tex]e[tex]^{-t}\left(\stackrel{sin(t)}{2sin(t)-cos(t)}\right)[/tex]

I know that this is correct, as I have checked it with a solution manual. However the solution manual becomes difficult to comprehend past this point as it skips many steps.

I now have to find the specific solution for x(0) = I.

I set the above equal to [tex]\left(\stackrel{1}{0}\right)[/tex](cos(t) + i sin(t)) in order to solve for the first specific solution, however can't seem to solve it, and I have no idea what the solution manual is doing. They come up with the following as a specific solution:

x = e[tex]^{-t}[/tex][tex]\left(\stackrel{cos(t) + 2sin(t)}{5sin(t)}\right)[/tex]

and then proceed to find the specific solution for the second part of the identity matrix, and finally the fundamental solution is the matrix involving these two specific solutions.

The part I don't understand is how they got the specific solution above. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank-you,
-J
 
Last edited:
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Alright so apparently doing math at 3am was the problem, not my understanding. I woke up this morning and realized when I was attempting to solve the initial value problem I wasn't substituting '0' for 't'... when I did it all made sense and took a couple minutes to come up with the answers they did.

Thanks anyway!
 

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