Higher Order Differential Equation: Substitution

AATroop
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Homework Statement



Solve x^{2}\times y'' - 4 \times x \times y' + 6 \times y = 0 for y(x) by first using the substitution v = ln(x) to obtain an equation involving y, dy/dv, d^2y/dv^2 and no x. Solve for y(v), then return to y(x).

Homework Equations



NA

The Attempt at a Solution



I know how to solve the differential once I substitute in for v, but what I'm not getting right is the substitution for the derivatives. I know dy/dx = dy/dv \times dv/dx = dy/dv \times \frac{1}{x}, but what I can't figure out is d^2y/dx^2. I got -dy/dv \times \frac{ln(x)}{x^2}, but that's not giving me the right answer (I checked w/ Wolfram Alpha). So, I'm a bit stuck on that.
Any help is appreciated, thanks.
 
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AATroop said:

Homework Statement



Solve x^{2}\times y'' - 4 \times x \times y' + 6 \times y = 0 for y(x) by first using the substitution v = ln(x) to obtain an equation involving y, dy/dv, d^2y/dv^2 and no x. Solve for y(v), then return to y(x).

Homework Equations



NA

The Attempt at a Solution



I know how to solve the differential once I substitute in for v, but what I'm not getting right is the substitution for the derivatives. I know dy/dx = dy/dv \times dv/dx = dy/dv \times \frac{1}{x}, but what I can't figure out is d^2y/dx^2. I got -dy/dv \times \frac{ln(x)}{x^2}, but that's not giving me the right answer (I checked w/ Wolfram Alpha). So, I'm a bit stuck on that.
Any help is appreciated, thanks.

The derivative of a product fg is (fg) ' =f 'g + f g '. (dy/dv) (1/x) is a product of the functions (dy/dv) and 1/x. Apply the chain rule again when you derive dy/dv with respect to x.

ehild
 
Yeah, I think I just got it. My new result for d^2y/dx^2 = dy^2/dv^2 * \frac{1}{x^2} - dy/dv * \frac{1}{x^2}. I think that's right because the diff eq worked out pretty well from there.
 
Well done!

ehild
 
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Awesome! Thanks a bunch for your help.
 
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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