Tutorial: Differential Equations and Series Solutions
Q1. Solve the following Euler equation and use your results to find 𝑦(1).
𝑥 2 𝑦" − 9𝑥𝑦′ + 25𝑦 = 0
Answer: 𝑦 = 𝑥 5 (𝑐1 + 𝑐2 𝑙𝑛𝑥), 𝑐1 (PYQ: Jan 2015)
Q2. Solve the following Euler equations.
(a) 𝑥 2 𝑦" + 5𝑥𝑦′ + 4𝑦 = 0, 𝑥 > 0.
(b) 3𝑥 2 𝑦" + 6𝑥𝑦′ + 𝑦 = 0, 𝑥 > 0.
Answer: (a) 𝑦 = 𝑥 −2 (𝑐1 + 𝑐2 𝑙𝑛𝑥)
−1⁄ √3 √3
(b) 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 (𝑐1 𝑐𝑜𝑠 ( 𝑙𝑛𝑥) + 𝑐2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 ( 6 𝑙𝑛𝑥))
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Q3. Solve 𝑥 2 𝑦" − 𝑥𝑦′ + 𝑦 = 2𝑥 by using the method of variation of parameters. Then, use
your results to find 𝑦(1).
Answer: 𝑦 = 𝑥(𝑐1 + 𝑐2 𝑙𝑛𝑥)+𝑥(𝑙𝑛𝑥)2 , 𝑦(1) = 𝑐1 (PYQ: Jan 2016)
Q4. Solve 2𝑦" − 14𝑦′ + 24𝑦 = 𝑒 3𝑥 by using the method of variation of parameters. Then, use
your results to find 𝑦(0).
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Answer: 𝑦 = 𝑐3 𝑒 3𝑥 + 𝑐2 𝑒 4𝑥 − 2 𝑥𝑒 3𝑥 , 𝑐4 (PYQ: May 2017)
Q5. The following second order linear ordinary differential equation for 𝑦 as a function of 𝑥 is
given:
𝑦" + 4𝑦 = 8𝑥.
(i) Find the general solution of the above differential equation by using the method of
variation of parameters.
(ii) Find the specific solution with the initial values 𝑦(𝜋) = 1 and 𝑦′(𝜋) = −6.
Answer: (i) 𝑦 = 𝑐1 cos (2𝑥) + 𝑐2 sin (2𝑥) + 2𝑥
(ii) 𝑦 = (1 − 2𝜋) cos(2𝑥) − 4sin (2𝑥) + 2𝑥 (PYQ: Jan 2022)
Q6. Solve the following initial value problem.
(a) 𝑥 2 𝑦" + 𝑥𝑦′ + 𝑦 = 0, 𝑦(1) = 1, 𝑦′(1) = 2
(b) 𝑥𝑦" + 𝑦′ = 𝑥, 𝑦(1) = 1, 𝑦′(1) = −1/2
3 𝑥2
Answer: (a) 𝑦 = cos (𝑙𝑛𝑥) + 2sin (𝑙𝑛𝑥) (b) 𝑦 = 4 − 𝑙𝑛𝑥 + 4
Q7. Find the ordinary and singular points of the following equations.
(a) 𝑦" + 𝑥𝑦 = 0
(b) (𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 6)𝑦" + (𝑥 + 3)𝑦′ + (𝑥 − 2)𝑦 = 0
Answer: (a) All points are ordinary points.
(b) Singular points: 𝑥 = 2, −3. All other points are ordinary points.
Q8. Use power series method to solve the following differential equation. Leave your answer
until the first four non-zero terms.
𝑦" + 2𝑥𝑦′ + 2𝑦 = 0
[Hint: Let y = am x m as x = 0 is an ordinary point]
m =0
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Answer: 𝑦 = 𝑎0 + 𝑎1 𝑥−𝑎0 𝑥 2 − 3 𝑎1 𝑥 3 + ⋯ (PYQ: Jan 2015)
Q9. Find the power series solution for 𝑦" − 𝑥𝑦′ + 10𝑦 = 0 about the ordinary point x = 0.
Leave your answer until the first four non-zero terms.
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Answer: 𝑦 = 𝑎0 + 𝑎1 𝑥−5𝑎0 𝑥 2 − 2 𝑎1 𝑥 3 + ⋯ (PYQ: Jan 2016)
Q10. Find the power series solution for 𝑦" − 4𝑥𝑦′ − 4𝑦 = 0 about the ordinary point 𝑥 = 0.
Leave your answer until the first four non-zero terms.
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Answer: 𝑦 = 𝑎0 + 𝑎1 𝑥+2𝑎0 𝑥 2 + 3 𝑎1 𝑥 3 + ⋯ (PYQ: May 2017)
Q11. Given the differential equation 𝑥 2 𝑦" + 5𝑥𝑦′ + (𝑥 + 4)𝑦 = 0.
(i) Show that 𝑥 = 0 is a regular singular point.
(ii) By using Frobenius method, determine the indicial equation, its roots, the recurrence
relation and the Frobenius solution of this differential equation.
−𝑎𝑛−1 1 1 1 𝑥
Answer: (ii) 𝑟 = −2, 𝑎𝑛 = , 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 4 − 36 + ⋯ (PYQ: Jan 2022)
𝑛2
Q12. Determine the singular points of the following differential equations. Then, classify each
singular point as regular or irregular.
(a) (𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 6)𝑦" + (𝑥 + 3)𝑦′ + (𝑥 − 2)𝑦 = 0
(b) 𝑥 2 (1 − 𝑥)2 (1 + 𝑥)𝑦" + 2𝑦′ + 𝑦 = 0
Answer: (a) RSP at 𝑥 = 2, −3 (b) RSP at 𝑥 = −1, ISP at 𝑥 = 0, 1
Q13. Consider the differential equation 𝑥 2 𝑦′′ − 5𝑥𝑦′ − 2𝑥𝑦 + 9𝑦 = 0.
(i) Find one series solution by using the method of Frobenius. Leave your answer until the
first three non-zero terms.
(ii) Hence, use the reduction of order method to find a second linearly independent solution
of the differential equation. Leave your answer until the first three non-zero terms.
Answer: (i) 𝑟 = 3, 𝑦1 = 𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 4 + 𝑥 5 + ⋯
(ii) 𝑦2 = 𝑦1 (𝑙𝑛𝑥 − 4𝑥 + 5𝑥 2 + ⋯ ) (PYQ: May 2021)