MT410 EXAM 3 SAMPLE 1

İLKER S. YÜCE
DECEMBER 2, 2010

SURNAME, NAME:
QUESTION 1. HOMOGENEOUS EQUATIONS WITH CONSTANT COEFFICIENTS
Consider the differential equation
d2 y dy
2
−3 + 2y = 0. (1)
dt dt
(A) Classify the equation in (1).
Second order, linear, homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients.
(B) Write the characteristic equation and find the roots.
r 2 − 3r + 2 = 0 Ñ (r − 1)(r − 2) = 0 Ñ r1 = 1, r2 = 2
(C) Determine two functions satisfying the equation in (1).
r1 = 1 Ñ y1 (t) = et , r2 = 2 Ñ y2 (t) = e2t
(D) Find a fundamental set of solutions for (1).
{et , e2t } is a set of fundamental solutions. Because
 t 
 e e2t 
W (et , e2t ) =  t = e3t ̸= 0.
e 2e2t 

(E) Write the general solution for the equation in (1).

y(t) = c1 et + c2 e2t where c1 , c2 ∈ R.
(F) Consider the equation in (1) together with the values y(0) = 1 and y ′ (0) = −1. Find the solution y(t)
which satisfies the given initial values.
We need to solve the system c1 y1 (0) + c2 y2 (0) = 1 and c1 y1′ (0) + c2 y2′ (0) = −1. In other words, we need to
solve    
 1 1   1 1 
[ 0 ] [ ] [ ]   
e e2·0 c1 1  −1 2   1 −1 
0 2·0 = Ñ c1 = = 3, c2 = = −2
e 2e c2 −1 W (y1 , y2 )(0) W (y1 , y2 )(0)
where W (y1 , y2 )(0) = 1. Thus, the solution is

y(t) = 3et − 2e2t .

1
 QUESTION 2. COMPLEX ROOTS OF THE CHARACTERISTIC EQUATION
Consider the differential equation
d2 y dy
−6 + 25y = 0. (2)
dt 2 dt
(A) Classify the equation in (2).
Second order, linear, homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients.
(B) Write the characteristic equation and find the roots.
r 2 − 6r + 25 = 0 Ñ ∆ = −64 Ñ r1 = 3 + 4i, r2 = 3 − 4i
(C) Determine two functions satisfying the equation in (2).
r1 = 3 + 4i Ñ y1 (t) = e3t cos 4t, r2 = 3 − 4i Ñ y2 (t) = e3t sin 4t
(D) Find a fundamental set of solutions for (2).
{e3t cos 4t, e3t sin 3t} is a set of fundamental solutions. Because
 3t 
 e cos 4t e3t sin 4t 
W (e cos 4t, e sin 3t) =  3t
3t 3t 

e (3 cos 4t − 4 sin t) e3t (3 sin 4t + 4 cos t)
= e3t (cos t cos 4t + 4 sin t sin 4t) ̸= 0.

(E) Write the general solution for the equation in (2).

y(t) = c1 e3t cos 4t + c2 e3t sin 4t where c1 , c2 ∈ R.
d2 y
(F) Solve the initial-value problem dt 2
− 6 dy ′
dt + 25y = 0, y(0) = −3 and y (0) = −1.

We need to solve the system c1 y1 (0) + c2 y2 (0) = −3 and c1 y1′ (0) + c2 y2′ (0) = −1. In other words, we need
to solve [ 3·0 ][ ] [ ]
e cos 4 · 0 e3·0 sin 4 · 0 c1 −3
= Ñ
e3·0 (3 cos 4 · 0 − 4 sin 0t) e3·0 (3 sin 4 · 0 + 4 cos 0) c2 −1
   
 −3 0   1 −3 
   
 −1 4   3 −1 
c1 = = −3, c2 = =2
W (y1 , y2 )(0) W (y1 , y2 )(0)
where W (y1 , y2 )(0) = 4. Thus, the solution is

y(t) = −3e3t cos 4t + 2e3t sin 4t.

2
 QUESTION 3. REPEATED ROOTS;REDUCTION OF ORDER
Consider the following differential equation

d2 y dy
2
+6 + 9y = 0 (3)
dt dt
(A) Classify the equation in (3).
Second order, linear, homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients.
(B) Write the characteristic equation and find the roots.
r 2 + 6r + 9 = (r + 3)2 = 0 Ñ r1 = −3, r2 = −3
(C) Determine two functions satisfying the equation in (3).
r1 = −3 Ñ y1 (t) = e−3t , r2 = 3 Ñ y2 (t) = te−3t
(D) Find a fundamental set of solutions for (3).
{e−3t , te−3t } is a set of fundamental solutions. Because
 −3t 
 e te−3t 
W (e−3t , te−3t ) =  
−3t 
−3e−3t −3t
e − 3te
= e−3t ̸= 0.

(E) Write the general solution for the equation in (3).

y(t) = c1 e−3t + c2 te−3t where c1 , c2 ∈ R.
d2 y
(F) Solve the initial-value problem dt 2
+ 6 dy ′
dt + 9y = 0, y(0) = 2 and y (0) = −3.

We need to solve the system c1 y1 (0) + c2 y2 (0) = 2 and c1 y1′ (0) + c2 y2′ (0) = −3. In other words, we need to
solve [ −3·0 ][ ] [ ]
e 0 · e−3·0 c1 2
= Ñ
−3e−3·0 e−3·0 − 3 · 0 · e−3·0 c2 −3
   
 2 0   1 2 
  
 −3 1   −3 −3 
c1 = = 2, c2 = =3
W (y1 , y2 )(0) W (y1 , y2 )(0)
where W (y1 , y2 )(0) = 1. Thus, the solution is

y(t) = 2e−3t + 3te−3t .

3
 QUESTION 4. REPEATED ROOTS;REDUCTION OF ORDER
Consider the following differential equation

d3 y d2 y dy
3
− 4 2
−3 + 18y = 0 (4)
dt dt dt
(A) Classify the equation in (4).
Third order, linear, homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients.
(B) Write the characteristic equation and find the roots. (Hint. One of the repeated root is 3)
r 3 − 4r 2 − 3r + 18 = 0. We are given that 3 is repeated root. It must be repeated at least 2 times. Therefore,
by Long Division, we see that r 3 − 4r 2 − 3r + 18 = (r − 3)2 (r + 2) = 0. In other words, we have the roots
r1 = 3, r2 = 3, and r3 = −2.
(C) Determine three functions satisfying the equation in (4).
r1 = 3 Ñ y1 (t) = e3t , r2 = 3 Ñ y2 (t) = te3t , r3 = −2 Ñ y3 (t) = e−2t
(D) Find a fundamental set of solutions for (4).
{e3t , te3t , e−2t } is a set of fundamental solutions. Because
 3t 
 e te3t e−2t 
 
3t 3t −2t
W (e , te , e ) =  3e 3t
e3t + 3te3t −2e2t 

 9e3t 6e3t + 9te3t 4e−2t 
= 25e4t ̸= 0.

(E) Write the general solution for the equation in (4).

y(t) = c1 e3t + c2 te3t + c3 e−2t where c1 , c2 , c3 ∈ R.
d3 y 2
(F) Solve the initial-value problem dt 3
− 4 ddty2 − 3 dy ′
dt + 18y = 0, y(0) = 0, y (0) = 0 and y”(0) = 1.

We need to solve the system c1 y1 (0) + c2 y2 (0) + c3 y3 (0) = 0 and c1 y1′ (0) + c2 y2′ (0) + c3 y3′ (0) = 0 and
c1 y1 ”(0) + c2 y2 ”(0) + c3 y3 ”(0) = 1. In other words, we need to solve
    
1 0 1 c1 0
 3 1 −2   c2  =  0  Ñ
9 6 4 c3 1
     
 0 0 1   1 0 1   1 0 0 
     
 0 1 −2   3 0 −2   3 1 0 
     
 1 6 4  1  9 1 4  5  9 6 1  1
c1 = = − , c2 = = , c3 = =
W (y1 , y2 , y3 )(0) 25 W (y1 , y2 , y3 )(0) 25 W (y1 , y2 , y3 )(0) 25
where W (y1 , y2 , y3 )(0) = 16. Thus, the solution is

1 3t 5 3t 1 −2t
y(t) = − e + te + e .
25 25 25

4
 QUESTION 5. REDUCTION OF ORDER
Given that y(t) = t is a solution of

d2 y dy
(t 2 + 1) − 2t + 2y = 0 (5)
dt 2 dt
(A) Classify the equation in (7).
Second order, linear, homogeneous differential equation with non-constant coefficients.
(B) Find a linearly independent solution by reducing the order.
Assume that the second fundamental solution is of the form y2 (t) = tv(t). Then we see that y2′ (t) = v + tv ′
and y2′′ (t) = 2v ′ + tv”. We plug y2 , y2′ and y2 ” into the equation in (7). We obtain the following equation

(t 2 + 1)(2v ′ + tv”) − 2t(v + tv ′ ) + 2tv = 0 Ñ (t 3 + t)v” + 2v ′ = 0.

Let us call w = v ′ . Then we get the separable equation

∫ ∫ ∫
3 ′ w′ −2 dw 2t −2
(t + t)w + 2w = 0 Ñ = 3 Ñ = dt + dt
w t +t w 1 + t2 t

t2 + 1
ln |w| = ln |1 + t 2 | − 2 ln |t| + C Ñ w(t) = (we let C=0).
t2
Remember that we have w = v ′ . Then we get
∫ 2
t +1 1
v(t) = 2
dt = t − + C (we let C=0).
t t
As a result, we obtain the second fundamental solution:
1
y2 (t) = t(t − ) = t 2 − 1.
t

(D) Find a fundamental set of solutions for (7).

{t, t 2 − 1} is a set of fundamental solutions. Because
 
 t t2 − 1 
W (t, t 2 − 1) =  
 1 2t 
= t 2 + 1 ̸= 0.

(E) Write the general solution for the equation in (7).

y(t) = c1 t + c2 (t 2 − 1) where c1 , c2 ∈ R.

5
 QUESTION 6. THE METHOD OF UNDETERMINED COEFFICIENTS
Consider the following differential equation

d2 y dy
2
−2 − 3y = 2et − 10 sin t. (6)
dt dt
(A) Classify the equation in (6).
Second order, linear, non-homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients.
d2 y
(B) Solve the differential equation dt 2
− 2 dy
dt − 3y = 0.

Characteristic equation: r 2 − 2r − 3 = (r − 3)(r + 1) = 0 Ñ r1 = 3, r2 = −1. A set of fundamental solutions

2
is {e3t , e−t }. Therefore, the general solution of ddty2 − 2 dy
dt − 3y = 0 is

yh (t) = c1 e3t + c2 e−t

where c1 , c2 ∈ R.
d2 y
(C) Find a particular solution for the equation dt 2
− 2 dy t
dt − 3y = 2e .

Assume that Y1 (t) = Aet . Then Y1′ (t) = Aet , and Y1 ”(t) = Aet . We plug Y1 (t), Y2′ (t) and Y ”(t) into the equation
given in (C). We see that
1
Aet − 2Aet − 3Aet = 2et or A = − .
2
Thus, a particular solution is Y1 (t) = − 21 et .
d2 y
(D) Find a particular solution for the equation dt 2
− 2 dy
dt − 3y = −10 sin t.

Assume that Y2 (t) = A sin t + B cos t. Then Y2′ (t) = A cos t − B sin t, and Y2 ”(t) = −A sin t − B cos t. We plug
Y1 (t), Y2′ (t) and Y ”(t) into the equation given in (D). We see that

−A sin t − B cos t − 2(A cos t − B sin t) − 3(A sin t + B cos t) = −10 sin t

or −4A + 2B = −10 and −2A − 4B = 0. We solve the previous system: A = 2 and B = −1. Thus, a
particular solution is Y2 (t) = 2 sin t − cos t.
(E) Write the general solution for the equation in (4).
y(t) = c1 e3t + c2 e−t − 12 et + 2 sin t − cos t where c1 , c2 ∈ R.

6
 QUESTION 7. VARIATION OF PARAMETERS
Consider the following differential equation

d2 y
+ y = tan t.
dt 2
Find the general solution using the method of variation of parameters.

Consider the equation y” + y = 0. Characteristic equation is r 2 + 1. The roots are r1 = i and r2 = −i.
Therefore, two fundamental solutions are given as

y1 (t) = cos t, y2 (t) = sin t.

Assume that Y (t) = u1 (t)y1 (t) + u2 (t)y2 (t) = u1 cos t + u2 sin t. We need to solve the following system
[ ][ ′ ] [ ]
cos t sin t u1 0
= .
− sin t cos t u2′ tan t

We see that
 
 0 sin t 
∫  ∫
tan t cos t 
u1 (t) = dt Ñ u1 (t) = − tan t sin t dt = sin t − ln | sec t + tan t| + C,
W (cos t, sin t)
 
 cos t 0 
∫  ∫
− sin t tan t 
u2 (t) = dt Ñ u2 (t) = sin t dt = − cos t + D,
W (cos t, sin t)
Let C = 0 and D = 0. We obtain the particular solution as

Y (t) = (sin t − ln | sec t + tan t|) cos t + (− cos t) sin t.

Finally, the general solution is

y(t) = c1 cos t + c2 sin t − cos t ln | sec t + tan t|.

7
 QUESTION 8. VARIATION OF PARAMETERS
Consider the following differential equation

d2 y dy
(t 2 + 1) 2
− 2t + 2y = 6(t 2 + 1)2 (7)
dt dt
Find the general solution using the method of variation of parameters. (Hint. Two linearly independent
solutions of the homogeneous equation are required. Those solutions are given in Question 5.)

Notice that we already solved the homogeneous equation in Question 5. Therefore, two fundamental
solutions are given as
y1 (t) = t, y2 (t) = t 2 − 1.
We need to rewrite the equation in the following form:

d2 y 2t dy 2
2
− 2 + 2 y = 6(t 2 + 1).
dt t + 1 dt t +1
Assume that Y (t) = u1 (t)y1 (t) + u2 (t)y2 (t) = tu1 + (t 2 − 1)u2 . We need to solve the following system
[ ][ ′ ] [ ]
t t2 − 1 u1 0
= .
1 2t u2′ 6(t 2 + 1)

We see that
 
 0 t 2 − 1 

∫  ∫ ( 3 )
6(t 2 + 1) 2t  t
u1 (t) = dt Ñ u1 (t) = − 6(t 2 − 1) dt = −6 − t + C,
W (cos t, sin t) 3
 
 t 0 
∫  ∫
1 6(t 2 + 1) 
u2 (t) = dt Ñ u2 (t) = 6t dt = 3t 2 + D,
W (cos t, sin t)
Let C = 0 and D = 0. We obtain the particular solution as
( 3 )
t
Y (t) = −6 − t t + 3t 2 (t 2 − 1).
3

Finally, the general solution is

( )
2 t3
y(t) = c1 t + c2 (t − 1) − 6 − t t + 3t 2 (t 2 − 1).
3