Assignment 1 (MATH 215, Q1)

1. Solve the differential equation.

(a) y 0 = y 2 sin x
Solution. We have
dy
= sin x dx.
y2
Integrating both sides gives
1
− = − cos x + C.
y
Hence, the general solution of the differential equations is

1
y= .
cos x − C

dy 2y
(b) = .
dx x
Solution. We have
dy 2dx
= .
y x
Integrating both sides gives

ln |y| = 2 ln |x| + C1 or |y| = e2 ln |x|+C1 .

Hence, the general solution of the differential equations is

y = Cx2 .

2. Solve the given first-order linear equation and verify that your solution indeed satisfies
the equation.
2
(a) y 0 − 2xy = 2xex
R
− 2x dx 2
Solution. An integrating factor is I(x) = e = e−x . Multiplying both sides by
2
e−x gives
2 2 d −x2

e−x y 0 − 2xe−x y = 2x or e y = 2x.
dx
2
It follows that e−x y = 2x dx = x2 + C. Therefore, the general solution is
R

2 2
y = x2 ex + Cex .

1
 2 2
Let us verify that y = x2 ex + Cex is the general solution of the differential equation.
We have
2 2 2
y 0 = 2xex + x2 (2x)ex + C(2x)ex .

Hence,
2 2 2 2 2 2
y 0 − 2xy = 2xex + x2 (2x)ex + C(2x)ex − (2x)x2 ex − (2x)Cex = 2xex .

dy y 1
(b) = + 2 , x > 0.
dx x x
dy y 1
Solution. Rewrite the equation in the form dx − x = x2 . An integrating factor is

1
R dx
−
I(x) = e x = e− ln x = .
x
Multiplying both sides by 1/x gives

1 dy y 1 d y 1
− 2 = 3 or = 3.
x dx x x dx x x
It follows that Z
y 1 1
= 3
dx = − 2 + C.
x x 2x
Therefore, the general solution is
1
y = Cx − , x > 0.
2x
For verification we observe that
dy 1 y 1 1 1 1
left = =C+ 2 and right = + 2 = C − 2 + 2 = C + 2.
dx 2x x x 2x x 2x
1
Since left = right, y = Cx − 2x is indeed the general solution.

3. Solve the initial-value problem.

(a) y 0 + y = x + ex , y(0) = 0
Solution. An integrating factor is I(x) = ex . Multiplying both sides by ex gives

d x
ex y 0 + ex y = ex (x + ex ) or (e y) = xex + e2x .
dx
It follows that
Z
x 1
xex + e2x dx = (x − 1)ex + e2x + C.


e y=
2

2
 So the general solution is

1 x
y =x−1+ e + C e−x .
2
1
Set x = 0 and y = 0 in the above equation: 0 = −1 + 2 + C. We obtain C = 12 , and
therefore the desired solution is
1 1
y = x − 1 + ex + e−x .
2 2

dy
(b) t + 2y = t3 , t > 0, y(1) = 0
dt
Solution. The equation can be rewritten as

dy 2
+ y = t2 , t > 0.
dt t
R2
An integrating factor is I(t) = e t dt = e2 ln t = t2 . Multiplying both sides of the
equation by t2 , we get

dy d 2
t2 + 2ty = t4 or (t y) = t4 .
dt dt
It follows that Z
2 1 5
t y= t4 dt = t + C.
5
Hence, the general solution of the equation is

1 3 C
y= t + 2.
5 t
1
Set t = 1 and y = 0 in the above equation: 0 = 5 + C. We obtain C = − 51 , and
therefore the desired solution is
t3 1
y= − 2.
5 5t

4. Find the general solution of the given differential equation.

(a) y 00 − 4y 0 + 4y = 0
Solution. The characteristic equation is r2 − 4r + 4 = 0. It has a double real root
r = 2. The general solution of the equation is

y = C1 e2x + C2 xe2x .

3
 (b) y 00 + 6y 0 + 10y = 0
Solution. The characteristic equation is r2 + 6r + 10 = 0. Its two roots are
√
−6 + 62 − 4 · 10
r1,2 = or r1 = −3 + i and r2 = −3 − i.
2

The general solution of the equation is

y = e−3x (C1 cos x + C2 sin x).

5. Solve the initial-value problem.

(a) y 00 + 3y 0 − 4y = 0, y(0) = 2, y 0 (0) = −3
Solution. The characteristic equation is r2 + 3r − 4 = (r + 4)(r − 1) = 0. The
general solution of the differential equation is y = C1 e−4x + C2 ex . It follows that
y 0 = −4C1 e−4x + C2 ex . The initial value conditions y(0) = 2 and y 0 (0) = −3 give
C1 + C2 = 2 and −4C1 + C2 = −3. Solving these two equations for C1 and C2 , we
obtain C1 = 1 and C2 = 1. Therefore, the desired solution is

y = e−4x + ex .

(b) y 00 + 4y = 0, y(π/6) = 1, y 0 (π/6) = 0

Solution. The characteristic equation r2 + 4 = 0 has two roots r1 = 2i and r2 = −2i.
The general solution of the differential equation is y = C1 cos(2x) + C2 sin(2x). It
follows that y 0 = −2C1 sin(2x) + 2C2 cos(2x). The initial value conditions y(π/6) = 1
√ √
and y 0 (π/6) = 0 give 21 C1 + 23 C2 = 1 and − 3C1 + C2 = 0. Solving these two
√
equations for C1 and C2 , we obtain C1 = 21 and C2 = 23 . Therefore, the desired
solution is √
1 3
y = cos(2x) + sin(2x).
2 2