MHB Maximum value a function satisfying a differential equation can achieve.

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The discussion revolves around finding the maximum value of a twice-differentiable function f that satisfies the differential equation f(x) + f''(x) = -x|sin(x)|f'(x) for x ≥ 0, with initial conditions f(0) = -3 and f'(0) = 4. Participants express uncertainty about whether a maximum value exists, with some suggesting that it should. Numerical attempts using Octave indicate that the maximum value might not align with the provided options, with 3 being a close estimate. The re-encoding of the differential equation for numerical analysis is also discussed, but definitive conclusions about the maximum value remain elusive. The conversation highlights the complexity of the problem and the challenges in determining the function's behavior on the positive real line.
caffeinemachine
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Let $f:\mathbb R\to \mathbb R$ be a twice-differentiable function such that $f(x)+f^{\prime\prime}(x)=-x|\sin(x)|f'(x)$ for $x\geq 0$. Assume that $f(0)=-3$ and $f'(0)=4$. Then what is the maximum value that $f$ achieves on the positive real line?

a) 4
b) 3
c) 5
d) Maximum value does not exist.

I am quite lost on this one. After some thought I am convinced that the maximum value should exist, though I do not have a good argument to support this claim.
 
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When I throw it at Octave online, I get:

View attachment 9668

So it seems it is none of the above, but the answer $3$ is close.

For reference, I have re-encoded the differential equation a bit to solve it with Octave's [M]lsode[/M].

Let $y=f(x)$, $u=y'$, and $Y=(u,y)$ then:

$f(x)+f''(x)=-x|\sin x|f'(x) \\
y + u' = -x|\sin x|u \\
\begin{cases}u'=-y-x|\sin x|u\\ y'=u\end{cases}\\
(u', y') = (-y-x|\sin x|u,\, u) =: g(u,y;x)\\
Y' = g(Y;x)
$
 

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