Solve Cauchy Problem for PDE: exp(-x)dz/dx+{y^2}dz/dy=exp(x)yz

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around solving a partial differential equation (PDE) given by exp(-x)dz/dx + {y^2}dz/dy = exp(x)yz, specifically focusing on finding a general solution and addressing the Cauchy problem associated with it. Participants explore various methods for tackling the problem, including the method of characteristics and the use of initial conditions.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant requests help with the PDE and the Cauchy problem, expressing difficulty in finding a solution.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of showing work and suggests understanding the type of PDE involved, proposing methods like the method of characteristics or Fourier transform.
  • A different participant expresses sympathy for the original poster and suggests a more supportive approach, proposing to start the conversation by setting up the characteristic equation.
  • Some participants outline the method of characteristics, providing a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) derived from the PDE.
  • One participant mentions using a two-parameter approach and shares their results, including a comparison with a numerical solution from Mathematica, but notes challenges in back-substituting to check the solution against the original PDE.
  • Another participant questions the clarity of the PDE's coefficients, suggesting that the problem may be miswritten and that the solution could be simpler if the coefficient of ∂_{y}u were y^2 instead of y^{-2}.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the appropriateness of the original post's context as a homework question. There is no consensus on the clarity of the PDE or the best approach to solving it, with multiple methods and interpretations being discussed.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved ambiguities regarding the coefficients in the PDE, and participants note the importance of initial conditions for the method of characteristics. Some mathematical steps and assumptions are not fully detailed, leading to uncertainty in the proposed solutions.

finmaths123
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Hi guys tryin to study for a pde exam and cannot solve this question


Find a general solution of the equation

exp(-x)dz/dx+{/y(squared)}dz/dy=exp(x)yz

(ii) Solve the Cauchy problem, i.e. find the integral surface of this equation
passing through the curve .
y = ex/3 , z = e .
Calculate the partial derivatives of the solution z(x, y) of the Cauchy problem you found and show that it satisfies the partial differential equation.

Help would be greatly appreachated
 
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There is no excuse for not showing some work to a problem like this. The first step is understanding what type of PDE you're actually dealing with. You can also try thinking of general methods such as "method of characteristics" or "fourier transform" (one of these may be helpful here).
 
snipez90 said:
There is no excuse for not showing some work to a problem like this. The first step is understanding what type of PDE you're actually dealing with. You can also try thinking of general methods such as "method of characteristics" or "fourier transform" (one of these may be helpful here).

You can't cut him a break snipez? It's just his first post and my understanding is that only in the homework forums are you explicitly required to show work. I'm pretty forgiving and would at least have led him on by just starting the conversation such as, "what happens when you set up the characteristic equation:"

\frac{dy}{dx}=y^2 e^x

Personally, I'd like to see the problem worked through. I tried finding the particular solution but could not do it. But it's not my thread so I'm explicitly not asking anyone to help me. But you guys could go easy on this new guy and help him a little. :)
 
Last edited:
You can use the method of characteristics to get a set of ODEs
<br /> \dot{x}=e^{-x}, \quad\dot{y}=\frac{1}{y^{2}}, \quad\dot{z}=e^{x}y<br />
You have to think about some initial conditions for this, can you suggest something?
 
hunt_mat said:
You can use the method of characteristics to get a set of ODEs
<br /> \dot{x}=e^{-x}, \quad\dot{y}=\frac{1}{y^{2}}, \quad\dot{z}=e^{x}y<br />
You have to think about some initial conditions for this, can you suggest something?

Thanks, didn't think to solve it parametrically although the text I have used two parameters. Also, I think there is some ambiguity in how the PDE was originally written. For the results here, I used:

e^{-x}u_x+\frac{1}{y^2}u_y-e^{x}yu=0;\quad u(x,ex/3)=e

and obtained:

x(s,t)=ln(t+e^s)

y(s,t)=\sqrt[3]{t+1/3\left(\frac{es}{3}\right)^3}

u(s,t)=\frac{e}{\text{exp}\left\{-\int_{0}^t e^{x(s,v)}y(s,v)dv\right\}}

Also, using the two-parameter approach, the last DE of the set is:

\frac{du}{dt}=e^x y u

I can compare those to a NDSolve of the equations in Mathematica and they do seem to agree:

Code:
Clear[x, y, s, t, u]

mysol = NDSolve[{D[x[s, t], t] == Exp[-x[s, t]], 
    D[y[s, t], t] == 1/y[s, t]^2, 
    D[u[s, t], t] == Exp[x[s, t]]*y[s, t]*u[s, t], 
    x[s, 0.001] == s, y[s, 0.001] == E*(s/3), 
    u[s, 0.001] == E}, {x, y, u}, {t, 0.001, 1}, 
   {s, 0.01, 1}]

But I see no way to directly back-substitute the partials back into the PDE and check it directly.
 
Last edited:
My reply probably came off harsher than I intended it. But my understanding is that if there is a homework type question, it shouldn't be here. From the context of the OP, I gathered this was a homework problem (even though it only has to be a homework "type" problem).
 
Although the solution presented by Jackmell is technically correct, it is not particularly nice. As Snipez90 pointed out this looks to be rather a book like question and book like questions tend to have nice answers, so I think that we should get the poster to clarify the coefficient of \partial_{y}u because the solution is much nicer for the coefficient to be y^{2} than y^{-2}. Either that or we are missing a trick somewhere.
 

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