2.

10 Solution by Variation of Parameters

The second order nonhomogeneous linear differential equation is given by
y   p ( x) y   q ( x) y  r ( x)
Here the functions p (x) , q (x ) and r (x ) are any given continuous functions of x or may be constants.
General solution
The general solution of nonhomogeneous linear differential equation is given by
y ( x)  C. F.  P. I.  yh ( x)  y p ( x)
Method of Variation of Parameters
This method is used to determine the Particular Integral of nonhomogeneous linear differential
equation
y   p ( x) y   q ( x) y  r ( x)
In this method the constants in the corresponding homogeneous equation (Complementary Function)
are considered to be functions of the independent variable.
Particular Integral by Variation of Parameters method
Let’s consider a second order linear nonhomogeneous differential equation be
y   p ( x) y   q ( x) y  r ( x) (1)
Let the Complementary Function be
yh ( x )  c1 y1  c2 y2 (2)
In order to apply this method, let’s consider c1 and c2 in (2) as functions of x .
Therefore,
y p ( x)  c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2 (3)
Now we have to determine c1 ( x ) and c2 ( x) so that (3) will be a solution of Equation (1).
If y p happens to be a solution of Equation (1), then it must satisfy Equation (1).

 y p  [c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2 ]  [c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2 ] (4)


To keep y in the same form as (3), we have to assume
p

c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2  0 (5)

Now expression (4) reduces to
 y p  c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2
 y p  c1 ( x) y1  c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2  c2 ( x) y2
 
Substituting y , y and y in Equation (1), we get
p p p

c1 ( x) y1  c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2  c2 ( x) y2  p ( x)[c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2 ]  q ( x)[c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2 ]  r ( x)

 c1 ( x)[ y1  p ( x) y1  q ( x) y1 ]  c2 ( x)[ y2  p ( x) y2  q ( x) y2 ]  c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2  r ( x)

Since y1 and y2 are solutions of the corresponding homogeneous equation
y   p ( x) y   q ( x) y  r ( x)
  
So, y  p ( x) y  q ( x) y  0 and y  p ( x) y  q ( x) y  0
1 1 1 2 2 2

 c1 ( x) y1  c2 ( x) y2  r ( x) (6)

Solving Equations (5) and (6) we obtain
y2 r ( x) y1r ( x)
c1 ( x)    dx and c2 ( x)   dx
W ( y1 , y2 ) W ( y1 , y2 )
Substituting c1 ( x ) and c2 ( x) in (3) we get
 y2 r ( x) y1r ( x)
y p ( x)   y1  dx  y2  dx
W ( y1 , y2 ) W ( y1 , y2 )
Hence by Variation of Parameters method the Particular Integral is calculated by the formula
y2 r ( x) y1r ( x)
y p ( x)   y1  dx  y2  dx
W ( y1 , y2 ) W ( y1 , y2 )
Solution of a 2nd order Nonhomogeneous ODE by Method of Variation of Parameters
The general solution of a second order linear Nonhomogeneous ODE y   p ( x) y   q ( x) y  r ( x ) can
be obtained by Variation of Parameters method as follows:
I. Find the Complementary function by solving the corresponding homogeneous
ODE y  p ( x) y  q ( x) y  0
C. F.  yh ( x)  c1 y1  c2 y2
II. Write the basis of solutions { y1 , y2 } .
y1 y2
III. Find the Wronskian W ( y1 , y2 )   y1 y2  y2 y1
y
1 y 
2
IV. Write the given ODE in the standard form of linear nonhomogeneous
ODE y   p ( x) y   q ( x) y  r ( x ) and find r (x).
V. Find the Particular Integral using the formula
y2 r ( x) y1r ( x)
y p ( x)   y1  dx  y2  dx
W ( y1 , y2 ) W ( y1 , y2 )
VI. Find the general solution
y ( x)  C. F.  P. I.  yh ( x)  y p ( x)

Problem Set-2.10
Q.1-Q.13: Solve the following differential equations by variation of parameters method.
Q.2) y   9 y  cos ec3 x
Solution: Complementary Function: yh (x)
The corresponding homogeneous ODE is
y  9 y  0
The Auxiliary equation is 2  9  0    3i
Hence the Complementary Function is yh ( x)  A cos 3 x  B sin 3 x
Basis of solutions is {cos 3 x, sin 3 x}  { y1 , y2 }
Wronskian:
cos 3 x sin 3 x
W (cos 3 x, sin 3 x)   3(cos 2 3 x  sin 2 3 x)  3
 3 sin 3 x 3 cos 3 x
The given ODE is in the standard form, so r ( x )  cos ec3 x
Particular Integral: y p (x)
According to method of variation of parameters the P. I. can be obtained by
y2 r ( x) y1r ( x)
y p ( x)   y1  dx  y2  dx
W ( y1 , y2 ) W ( y1 , y2 )
sin 3 x  cos ec3 x cos 3 x  cos ec3 x
 y p ( x)   cos 3 x  dx  sin 3 x  dx
3 3
 cos 3 x sin 3 x cos 3 x
 y p ( x)  
3  dx 
3  sin 3 x
dx
x cos 3 x sin 3 x
 y p ( x)    ln sin 3 x
3 9
General Solution:
The general solution of the 2nd order linear nonhomogeneous ODE is
y ( x)  C. F.  P. I.  yh ( x)  y p ( x)
Hence the required general solution is
x cos 3 x sin 3 x
y ( x)  A cos 3 x  B sin 3 x   ln sin 3 x
3 9
Q.10) ( D 2  2 D  2 I ) y  4e  x sec3 x
Solution: The given differential equation is
y  2 y  2 y  4e  x sec 3 x
Complementary Function: yh (x)
The corresponding homogeneous differential equation is
y   2 y   2 y  0
The Auxiliary equation is
2  2  2  0
 (  1) 2  1    1  i
The Complementary Function is:
yh ( x)  e  x ( A cos x  B sin x)
Basis of Solution is: {e  x cos x, e  x sin x}  { y1 , y2 }
Wronskian:
e  x cos x e  x sin x
W (e  x cos x, e  x sin x)  x x x x
 e 2 x
e cos x  e sin x  e sin x  e cos x
Particular Integral: y p (x)
In the given differential equation r ( x)  4e  x sec3 x
By Variation of parameter method, the Particular is obtained by
y2 r ( x) y1r ( x)
y p ( x)   y1  dx  y2  dx
W ( y1 , y2 ) W ( y1 , y2 )
e x sin x  4e x sec3 x e x cos x  4e x sec3 x
 y p ( x)  e x cos x  dx  e x
sin x  dx
e 2 x e 2 x
sin x
 y p ( x)  4e  x cos x  3
dx  4e  x sin x  sec 2 xdx  2e  x sec x cos 2 x
cos x
General Solution
The general solution is
y ( x)  C. F.  P. I.  yh ( x)  y p ( x)
Required general solution is
y ( x)  e  x ( A cos x  B sin x)  2e  x sec x cos 2 x  e  x ( A cos x  B sin x  2 sec x cos 2 x)
 1
Q.12) ( D 2  I ) y 
cosh x
Solution: The given differential equation is
1
y  y 
cosh x
Complementary Function: yh (x)
The corresponding homogeneous ODE is
y   y  0
Auxiliary equation is 2  1  0    1
Hence the complementary function is
yh ( x)  c1e x  c2 e  x
Since e x and e  x are solutions of y   y  0 , so cosh x and sinh x are also the solutions.
Hence the Complementary Function is
yh ( x)  A cosh x  B sinh x
Basis of solutions is: {cosh x, sinh x}  { y1 , y2 }
Wronskian:
cosh x sinh x
W (cosh x, sinh x)   cosh 2 x  sinh 2 x  1
sinh x cosh x
Particular Integral: y p (x)
By Variation of Parameters method
y2 r ( x) y1r ( x)
y p ( x)   y1  dx  y2  dx
W ( y1 , y2 ) W ( y1 , y2 )
sinh x cosh x
 y p ( x)   cosh x  dx  sinh x  dx   cosh x ln cosh x  x sinh x
cosh x cosh x
General Solution:
The general solution is
y ( x)  C. F.  P. I.  yh ( x)  y p ( x)
Hence the required general solution is
y ( x)  A cosh x  B sinh x  cosh x ln cosh x  x sinh x
Q.13) ( x 2 D 2  xD  9 I ) y  48 x 5
Solution: The given ODE is
x 2 y  xy  9 y  48 x 5
Complementary Function: yh (x)
The corresponding homogeneous ODE is
x 2 y  xy  9 y  0
Here a  1 and b  9
The Auxiliary equation is m 2  ( a  1) m  b  0
 m2  9  0  m  3
The Complementary Function is
yh ( x )  c1 x 3  c2 x 3
Basis of solutions is: {x 3 , x 3}  { y1 , y2 }
Wronskian:
x3 x 3
W ( x 3 , x 3 )  2 4
 3 x 1  3 x 1  6 x 1
3x  3x
Particular Integral: y p (x)
The given differential equation can be written as
1 9
y  y  2 y  48 x 3
x x
Hence r ( x )  48 x 3
By Variation of Parameters method
y2 r ( x) y1r ( x)
y p ( x)   y1  dx  y2  dx
W ( y1 , y2 ) W ( y1 , y2 )
x 3  48 x3 3
3 x  48 x
3
 y p ( x)   x3  dx  x   6 x1 dx
 6 x 1
 y p ( x)  8 x3  xdx  8 x 3  x7 dx  4 x5  x5  3x5
General Solution:
The general solution is
y ( x)  C. F.  P. I.  yh ( x)  y p ( x)
The required general solution is
y ( x)  c1 x 3  c2 x 3  3 x 5

Course Faculty
Dr. Madhusmita Sahoo
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