Fundamental Solution for Nonhomogeneous Heat Equation?

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Homework Statement



So I'm trying to solve Evans - PDE 2.5 # 12...

"Write down an explicit formula for a solution of

u_t - \Delta u + cu=f with (x,t) \in R^n \times (0,\infty)
u(x,0)=g(x)"

Homework Equations



The Attempt at a Solution



I figure if I can a fundamental solution for

u_t - \Delta u + cu = 0,

The rest follows through straight forward. I've tried multiplying the solution to the heat equation by a number of terms such as e^{-ct}, e^{v(x,t)}, but everything I've tried so far either gives me a non-fundamental solution, or a non-linear pde.

I've also tried mimicking the two ways they give to finding the solution to the original equation but neither seem to work. Looking for solutions of the form u(x,t) = v(x^2/t) and looking for solutions of the form u(x,t) = 1/t^\beta v(x/t^\alpha) but neither seems to reduce the equation in the problem to a single variables

Any hints?
 
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yay, figured it out.

letting u(x,t)=e^{-ct}v(x,t), with v(x,t) solving

v_t - \Delta v = f(x,t) e^{ct}
v(x,0) = g(x)

Solves the original equation. I guess I was just thinking too hard.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...

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