Solving Partial Derivative Equation: Finding Error & Fixing It

dimensionless
Messages
460
Reaction score
1
I'm trying to figure out this equation.

<br /> {\Psi} = Ae^{-a(bx-ct)^2}<br />

I've expanded this to

<br /> {\Psi} = Ae^{-ab^2x^2-abxct-ac^2t^2}<br />

When I try to find the derivative I get this

<br /> \left(\newcommand {\pd}[3]{ \frac{ \partial^{#3}{#1} }{ \partial {#2}^{#3} } }<br /> <br /> \pd{\Psi}{t}{}\right)_x = (-2ac^2t-abxc)Ae^{-ab^2x^2-abxct-ac^2t^2}<br />

I should get this instead

<br /> \left(\newcommand {\pd}[3]{ \frac{ \partial^{#3}{#1} }{ \partial {#2}^{#3} } }<br /> <br /> \pd{\Psi}{t}{}\right)_x = (-2abcx-2ac^2t)Ae^{-ab^2x^2-abxct-ac^2t^2}<br />

Can anyone tell me where my error is and how I can fix it?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Try again in expanding
(bx-ct)^2
 
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...
Back
Top