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zonk
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Homework Statement
20) Determine the general solution of y'' + y = sin(x).
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
We attempt to solve this equation by the method of undetermined constants.
So y = u(x)sin(x) (such a substitution should reduce R(x) to a polynomial with a u-differential equation with constant coefficients according to Apostol. )
We get, after differentiation and substitution:
u'' + 2cot(x)u = 1
However, this equation doesn't have constant coefficients like Apostol said the method would produce. So I need some help there.
Doing it the regular way with variation of parameters, we have:
y = c1sin(x) + c2cos(x) + y1
where y1 = t1(x)v1(x) + t2(x)v2(x) and
v1(x) = sin(x)
v2(x) = cos(x)
The wronskian of the two functions is -1.
After computing we get
t1 = [itex]\frac{1}{2} {sin}^2(x)[/itex]
t2 = [itex]\frac{sin(2x)}{4} - \frac{1}{2}x[/itex]
So the general solution is
y = [itex]sin(x) (c_1 + \frac{{sin}^2(x)}{2}) + cos(x) (c_2 + \frac{sin(2x)}{4} - \frac{1}{2}x)[/itex]
But the book says the answer is:
y = [itex](c_1 - \frac{1}{2}x)cos(x) + c_2{sin(x)}[/itex]
Why do I keep getting extra terms?
Edit: Never mind the second question. My solution simplifies to the book's general solution. Tricky, but I see it.
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