What is meant by a complete solution ?

1. Mar 12, 2009

pellman

What is meant by a "complete solution"?

What is meant by a complete solution of a system of ODEs? (Such, as for example, in the Hamiltonian formulation of an N-particle system)

I am trying to relate the definition here
http://books.google.com/books?id=4Y...y-yXBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result which is given in terms of vector fields and integral curves to something with which I am more familiar.

2. Mar 12, 2009

Dr.D

Re: What is meant by a "complete solution"?

A complete solution consist of the homogeneous solution (solution with zero righthand sides) and the particular solution (solution with nonzero righthand sides). This is the solution to which you can then apply initial conditions or boundary conditions

3. Mar 13, 2009

pellman

Re: What is meant by a "complete solution"?

Thanks. That's what I thought, I'm just not able to "see" yet that the two descriptions are really the same thing. But I'll get it eventually.