Problem Set 8

Maths 1
October 3, 2019

1 Questions
1. Suppose t = t1 is a double root of the equation

t2 + at + b = 0,

and show that

y1 (x) = et1 x , y2 (x) = xet1 x ,
are linearly independent solutions of the differential equation

y 00 + ay 0 + by = 0.

2. (Final Exam CY1601 2016)

Let a, b and c be real constants and consider the differential equation

ax2 y 00 + bxy 0 + cy = 0, (for x > 0), (1)

in the unknown function y = y(x).

(a) Show that y = xr is a solution of (1) if r is a solution to

ar(r − 1) + br + c = 0.

(b) Solve the initial value problem

x2 y 00 − 2xy 0 + 2y = 0, y(1) = 2, y 0 (1) = 1.

1
 Figure 1: A plot of the solution to Excercise 3.

3. Solve the initial value problem

0 3x2 + 4x − 4 √
y = , y(−3) = 5 + 2.
2y − 4

4. Find a family of curves, each of which intersects each parabola of the

form y = Cx2 at a right angle. (Hint: Two curves intersect at right
angles if their tangents at the point of intersection have slopes k1 and
k2 , where k1 = −1/k2 ).
Note: Your answer should contain an arbitrary constant but it should
not depend on the constant C above. Hence
−1 −1
Z
y(x) = dx = ln |x| + D,
2Cx 2C
is not the correct answer. Note that every curve from your family
should intersect every curve y = Cx2 at a right angle. You will not get
that if your answer depends on C.
Fun extra task: When you have solved this problem, go to
[Link] and plot both the curves y = Cx2 together with the

2
 curves you found. Take advantage of the possibility to add sliders for
arbitrary parameters.

5. (Final exam CY1601, 2017)

Find a differentiable function y : (−1, ∞) → R that satisfies
Z x
y(t)
y(x) + dt = e2x .
0 1+t

6. A tank contains 1000 l of water in which initially 100 kg of salt is

dissolved. Brine runs in at a rate of 10 l/min, and each litre contains
5 kg of dissolved salt. The mixture in the tank is kept uniform by
stirring. Brine runs out at 10 l/min. Find the amount of salt in the
tank at any time t.

7. Solve the following differential equations.

dy
(a)
2
+ xy = xex /2
dx

(b) y 0 + αy = eβx , where α and β are constants

8. Solve the given initial value problems.

(a) y 00 − 4y 0 + 5y = 0, y(0) = 3, y 0 (0) = 5.

(b) y 00 − 8y 0 + 16y = 0, y(0) = 2, y 0 (0) = 7.

9. Find the general solution to the given equations.

(a) y 00 + 3y = x3 − 1.
(b) y 00 − y = x2 ex .

3
Hints
1. To show that y1 is a solution, substitute the expression for y1 (x) into
the d.e. and use the fact that t = t1 is a solution to the characteristic
equation.
To show that y is a solution, use the same strategy as above, but also
apply the fact that since t = t1 is a double root of the characteristic
equation, we have t1 = −a/2.
2. (a) Substitute y = xr into the d.e. and use what you know about r.
(b) Use the result from part (a) to find two linearly independent solu-
tions to the d.e. Then, since the d.e. is linear and homogeneous,
the general solution to the d.e. is the set of all linear combina-
tions of these two.
3. This is a separable equation.
4. For x 6= 0, the curve y = Cx2 passes through the point (x, y) if C =
y/x2 . Hence, at this point it has slope 2Cx = 2y/x. Use this to write
down a d.e. describing the perpendicular curves. Then solve your d.e.
(you’ll get a separable eqn).
5. First differentiate both sides (using the Fundamental Theorem) to get
a differential equation. You’ll get a linear first order d.e. which you
can solve by multiplying with the appropriate integrating factor.
Note that only one particular solution to the d.e. satisfies the original
equation. Substituting x = 0 will allow you to find the correct partic-
ular solution.
6. Let y(t) be the amount of salt in the tank at time t and use the given
information to find an expression for dy/dt and the relevant initial
condition. This gives you an initial value problem involving a separable
d.e. which you can solve.
7. Both equations are linear first order equations, so you’ll just have to
multiply with the appropriate integrating factor and work from there.
8. These are both second order linear homogeneous equations with con-
stant coefficients. To solve each d.e., you’ll have to solve the corre-
sponding characteristic equation, which will tell you what the general

4
 solution looks like. Lastly, apply the initial conditions to find the cor-
rect particular solution.

9. For both problems, use the method described in the lectures for inho-
mogeneous equations, I.e.

(i) Find the general solution yc of the corresponding homogeneous

differential equation.
(ii) Find a particular solution yp of the given inhomogeneous equation,
using the “guessing” method described in the lectures.
(iii) By a theorem from the lectures, the general solution to the given
inhomogeneous equation is y = yc + yp . Just write down what you
get.

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Answers
1.
2. (b) y = 3x − x2 .
3. √
y =2+ x3 + 2x2 − 4x + 2.
4.
x2 y2
+ = 1.
2D D
For graphs, see [Link]
5.
1 1
y(x) = e2x − e2x + .
2(1 + x) 2(1 + x)
6.
y(t) = 5000 − 4900e−0.01t (kg).
7. (a) 
1 x2
−x2 /2
y=e e +C ,
2
where C is an arbitrary constant.
(b)
if α + β =
(
1
α+β
+ Ce−αx ,
eβx 6 0
y(x) =
(x + C)e−αx , if α + β = 0,
where C is an arbitrary constant.
8. (a)
y = e2x (3 cos x − sin x),
(b)
y = 2e4x − xe4x .
9. (a)
√ √ x3 2x 1
y = yc + yp = C1 cos 3x + C2 sin 3x + − − .
3 3 3
(b)
x x 2 x3
 
x −x
y = yc + yp = C1 e + C2 e + − + ex .
4 4 6