Power series solution to a second order o.d.e.

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the power series solution for the second-order ordinary differential equation given by y'' = (1 + x²)y, specifically focusing on the terms up to x^5.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss differentiating the power series term by term and equating coefficients to derive relationships among the coefficients a_n. There are attempts to express the coefficients in terms of a_0 and a_1, with some participants questioning the correctness of their derived relations.

Discussion Status

Several participants have provided guidance on how to equate the series for y'' with (1 + x²)y and have pointed out mistakes in earlier attempts. There is an ongoing exploration of relationships among the coefficients, with some participants expressing confusion about how to derive the coefficients in terms of a_0 and a_1.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the absence of initial conditions, which leads to arbitrary coefficients a_0 and a_1, affecting the derivation of subsequent coefficients. There is a recognition of circular reasoning in some attempts to relate the coefficients.

Vuldoraq
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Homework Statement



Find the terms up to x^5 in the power series solution of the following equation

[tex]y''=(1+x^{2})y[/tex]


Homework Equations



Power series, sum from 0 to infinity

[tex]y=\sum a_{n}x^{n}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



At first I just differentiated each term separately and then equated coefficients,

[tex]y=a_{0}+a_{1}x+a_{2}x^{2}+a_{3}x^{3}+a_{4}x^{4}+a_{5}x^{5}+...[/tex]
[tex]y'=a_{1}+2a_{2}x+3a_{3}x^{2}+4a_{4}x^{3}+5a_{5}x^{4}+...[/tex]
[tex]y''=2a_{2}+6a_{3}x+12a_{4}x^{2}+20a_{5}x^{3}+...[/tex]

After equating and rearranging i ended up with,

[tex]y=a_{0}(1+\frac{x^{2}}{2}+\frac{x^{3}}{6}+\frac{x^{4}}{12}+\frac{x^{5}}{40}+...)+a_{1}(x+\frac{x^{2}}{2}+\frac{x^{3}}{3}+\frac{x^{4}}{8}+\frac{x^{5}}{24}+...)[/tex]

Is this correct?

Also I was wondering how I would go about doing this for the general case, using complete sums and then equating coefficients,

[tex]y=\sum a_{n}x^{n}[/tex]

[tex]y'=\sum na_{n}x^{n-1}[/tex]

[tex]y''=\sum n(n-1)a_{n}x^{n-2}[/tex]

[tex]x^{2}y=\sum a_{n}x^{n+2}[/tex]

Subbing back into the original,

[tex]\sum n(n-1)a_{n}x^{n-2}=\sum a_{n}x^{n}+\sum a_{n}x^{n+2}[/tex]

Equating coefficients,

[tex]n(n-1)a_{n}=a_{n-2}+a_{n-4}[/tex]

But no matter what I do with this relation I can't get it into a helpful form that agrees with my above result?

Please can someone help?
 
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Vuldoraq said:

Homework Statement



Find the terms up to x^5 in the power series solution of the following equation

[tex]y''=(1+x^{2})y[/tex]


Homework Equations



Power series, sum from 0 to infinity

[tex]y=\sum a_{n}x^{n}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



At first I just differentiated each term separately and then equated coefficients,

[tex]y=a_{0}+a_{1}x+a_{2}x^{2}+a_{3}x^{3}+a_{4}x^{4}+a_{5}x^{5}+...[/tex]
[tex]y'=a_{1}+2a_{2}x+3a_{3}x^{2}+4a_{4}x^{3}+5a_{5}x^{4}+...[/tex]
[tex]y''=2a_{2}+6a_{3}x+12a_{4}x^{2}+20a_{5}x^{3}+...[/tex]

After equating and rearranging i ended up with,

[tex]y=a_{0}(1+\frac{x^{2}}{2}+\frac{x^{3}}{6}+\frac{x^{4}}{12}+\frac{x^{5}}{40}+...)+a_{1}(x+\frac{x^{2}}{2}+\frac{x^{3}}{3}+\frac{x^{4}}{8}+\frac{x^{5}}{24}+...)[/tex]

Is this correct?
I don't see that you multiplied your series for y by (1 + x^2). After you do that, equate your series for y'' with the series for (1 + x^2)y, and compare like powers of x to get a relationship involving your series coefficients a_0, a_1, etc.
Vuldoraq said:
Also I was wondering how I would go about doing this for the general case, using complete sums and then equating coefficients,

[tex]y=\sum a_{n}x^{n}[/tex]

[tex]y'=\sum na_{n}x^{n-1}[/tex]

[tex]y''=\sum n(n-1)a_{n}x^{n-2}[/tex]

[tex]x^{2}y=\sum a_{n}x^{n+2}[/tex]

Subbing back into the original,

[tex]\sum n(n-1)a_{n}x^{n-2}=\sum a_{n}x^{n}+\sum a_{n}x^{n+2}[/tex]

Equating coefficients,

[tex]n(n-1)a_{n}=a_{n-2}+a_{n-4}[/tex]

But no matter what I do with this relation I can't get it into a helpful form that agrees with my above result?

Please can someone help?
 
That was a silly mistake to make :blushing:, thankyou for pointing it out :smile:

[tex]2a_{2}+6a_{3}x+12a_{4}x^{2}+20a_{5}x^{3}+...=(a_{0}+a_{1}x+a_{2}x^{2}+a_{3}x^{3}+a_{4}x^{4}+a_ {5}x^{5}+...)+(a_{0}x^{2}+a_{1}x^{3}+a_{2}x^{4}+a_{3}x^{5}+a_{4}x^{6}+a_ {5}x^{7}+...)[/tex]

Equating,

[tex]12a_{4}=a_{2}+a_{0}[/tex]
[tex]20a_{5}=a_{3}+a_{1}[/tex]
[tex]30a_{6}=a_{4}+a_{2}[/tex]

and so on which leads to the relation,

[tex]a_{n+1}=(n+2)(n+3)a_{n+3}-a_{n-1}[/tex]

which agrees with my other relation (with some rearranging).

Now I'm confused as to how this is helpful. What am I supposed to with this relation now that I have found it?
 
Use the relation you found plus the others you showed to get the coefficients a_0 through a_5. You're not given any initial conditions, so that means that a_0 and a_1 will be arbitrary and the other coefficients will be in terms of those two.
 
I'm completley at a loss as to how to get the coefficients in terms of a_0 and a_1. Sorry if I'm being dumb, but I all I've got so far is,

Using these relations

[tex]a_{n+1}=(n+2)(n+3)a_{n+3}-a_{n-1}[/tex]

[tex]a_{2}=12a_{3}-a_{0}[/tex] 1
[tex]a_{3}=20a_{4}-a_{1}[/tex] 2
[tex]a_{4}=30a_{5}-a_{2}[/tex] 3
[tex]a_{5}=42a_{6}-a_{3}[/tex] 4

And,

[tex]a_{n}=\frac{a_{n-2}+a_{n-4}}{n(n-1)}[/tex]

[tex]a_{4}=\frac{a_{2}+a_{0}}{12}[/tex] 5
[tex]a_{5}=\frac{a_{3}+a_{1}}{20}[/tex] 6

By substituting 2 into 1 and then the result of that into 5 I got,

[tex]a_{4}=a_{1}/19[/tex]

But this seems to be a circular way of doing it and sure enough I get, upon subs,

[tex]a_{3}=a_{1}/19[/tex]

I think I'm going the wrong way about this...please could you guide me as to how I can find the coefficients in terms of a_0 and a_1?
 
Equating the series for y'' with x^2 * y + y, I got:
2a_2 = a_0
6a_3 = a_1
12a_4 = a_0 + a_2
20a_5 = a_1 + a_3
and so on.
You always want to solve for the higher-index coefficients in terms of those with lower indexes. In this problem, you'll eventually get back to a_0 and a_1. For example, a_4 is in terms of a_0 and a_2, but a previous equation relates a_2 and a_0.

All you need are a_0 through a_5.
 
With your assistance I now get,

[tex]y=a_{0}(1+\frac{x^{2}}{2}+\frac{x^{4}}{8}+...)+a_{1}(x+\frac{x^{3} }{6}+\frac{7x^{5}}{120}+...)[/tex]

Which seems more reasonable and my realtions all agree. Does this look okay to you?

Thanks a million for your help, I would still be stuck without it! :smile:
 

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