Practice Problems For Test 2

C ircled problems not on test but may be extra credit on test 7. A driver involved in an accident claims he was going only 25 mph.
When police tested his car, they found that when its brakes were
applied at 25 mph, the car skidded only 45 feet before coming to a
Velocity-Acceleration Models stop. But the driver’s skid marks at the accident scene measured 210
feet. Assuming the same (constant) deceleration, determine the speed
Constant Acceleration he was actually traveling just prior to the accident.

1. The skid marks made by an automobile indicated that its brakes were
fully applied for a distance of 75 m before it came to a stop. The car in Variable Acceleration
question is known to have a constant deceleration of 20 m/s2 under 1. Consider the vertical motion of a body with mass m near the surface of
these conditions. How fast - in km/hr - was the car traveling when the the earth (constant gravitational force: g) and a force due to air
brakes were first applied? resistance that is proportional to the velocity of the object. Assume we
2. Suppose that a car skids 15 m if it is moving at 50 km/hr when the have an initial velocity of v0 . Set up a differential equation and find the
brakes are applied. Assuming that the car has the same constant terminal speed of the object. ( lim v(t) =?)
t→∞
deceleration, how far will it skid if it is moving at 100 km/hr when the
brakes are applied? 2. Consider the vertical motion of a body with mass m near the surface of
the earth (constant gravitational force: g) and a force due to air
3. A stone is dropped from rest at an initial height h above the surface of resistance that is proportional to the square of velocity of the object.
the earth.
p Show that the speed with which it strikes the ground is Assume we have an initial velocity of v0 . Set up a differential equation
v = 2gh. and find the terminal speed of the object. ( lim v(t) =?)
t→∞
4. Suppose a woman has enough ”spring” in her legs to jump (on earth) 3 A lunar lander is free-falling toward the moon, and at an altitude of 53
from the ground to a height of 2.25 feet. If she jumps straight upward kilometers above the lunar surface its downward velocity is measured
with the same initial velocity on the moon - where the surface at 1477 km/hr. Its retrorockets, when fired in free space, provide a
gravitational acceleration is (approximately) 5.3 ft/s2 - how high above deceleration of T = 4 m/s2 . At what height above the lunar surface
the surface will she rise? should the retrorockets be activated to ensure a ”soft touchdown”?
5. A bomb is dropped from a helicopter hovering at an altitude of 800 Use Newton’s universal law of gravitation
feet above the ground. From the ground directly beneath the
G = 6.6726 × 10−11 Nm2/kg2

helicopter, a projectile is fired straight upward toward the bomb, 

exactly 2 seconds after the bomb is release. With what initial velocity

 M = mass of earth or moon
GMm
should the projectile be fired, in order to hit the bomb at an altitude of F= where
r2  m = mass of object
exactly 400 feet?



r = distance between centers of the objects
6. A spacecraft is in free fall toward the surface of the moon at a speed of
1000 mph. Its retrorockets, when fired, provide a constant deceleration Mass of Moon M = 7.35 × 1022 kg
of 20,000 mi/h2 . At what height above the lunar surface should the Radius of Moon R = 1.74 × 106 m
astronauts fire the retrorockets to insure a soft touchdown? (Ignore the
4. What initial velocity is necessary for a projectile to escape from the
moon’s gravitational field)
earth’s gravity? Use Newton’s law of gravitation.

1
Differential Equations - Homework For Test 2 2

5. An object with mass m is released from rest at a distance of h meters 11. A motorboat starts from rest. Its motor provides a constant
above the surface of the earth. Use Newton’s universal law of v2
acceleration of 4 ft/s2 , but water resistance causes a deceleration of 400
gravitation to show that the object impacts the earth surface with a ft/s2 . Find the velocity after ten seconds. Also find the velocity as
velocity determined by r t → ∞ (the maximum possible speed of the boat).
2ghR
v= 12. An arrow is shot straight upward from the ground with an initial
h+R
velocity of 160 ft/s. It experiences both the deceleration of gravity and
where g is the acceleration due to gravity at the earth’s surface and R v2
deceleration 800 due to air resistance. How high in the air does it go?
is the radius of the earth. Ignore any effects due to earth’s rotation or
atmosphere.
6. An train engine, starting from rest, pulls a train of mass m using Mechanical Vibrations
constant power P. The forces resisting to the movement of the train is
P dv P Derivations
− kv, therefore, the force equation is m = − kv, v(0) = 0.
v dt v 1 A mass m is attached to the lower end of a spring that is suspended
(a) Explainr why the maximum speed of the train is given by vertically from a fixed support. Assume we have a frictional force, an
P external force, and gravity acting on the system. Use Hooke’s law and
vmax = . Newton’s 2nd law to derive the differential equation that represents
k
(b) Solve the initial value problem, writing the solution in the form the motion of the mass from its static equilibrium position.
t = t(v). The constant k should not be in the final answer. 2. A mass m is attached to a massless rod of length L. Let θ (t) be the
7. The acceleration of a Maserati is proportional to the difference angle in radians with θ = 0 pointing downward. Assume there is no
between 250 km/h and the velocity of this sports car. If this machine friction for the system.
can accelerate from rest to 100 km/h in ten seconds, how long will it (a) Derive the differential equation that represents the motion of this
take for the car to accelerate from rest to 200 km/h? simple pendulum. Use the law of the conservation of mechanical
8. Suppose that a motorboat is moving at 40 ft/s when its motor suddenly energy which the sum of the kinetic energy and the potential
quits, and that ten seconds later the boat has slowed to 20 ft/s. Assume energy of m remains constant. The potential energy is the product
that the resistance it encounters while coasting is proportional to its of its weight and its vertical height while the kinetic energy is
1
velocity. How far will the boat coast in all? given by the formula: KE = mv2 .
2
9. Assuming resistance proportional to the square of the velocity, how far (b) Linearize the differential equation from part a
does the motorboat of the previous problem coast in the first minute
after its motor quits?
Free Undamped Motion
10. Suppose that a car starts from rest, its engine providing an acceleration 1. Assume we have a mass m on a spring with neither damping nor
of 10 ft/s2 , while air resistance provide 0.1 ft/s2 of deceleration for each external force. Our differential equation would be mx 00 + kx = 0. Solve
foot per second of the car’s velocity. this differential equation and manipulate the equation to get the form
√ A
(a) Find the car’s maximum possible velocity. x (t) = C cos(ω0 t − α) where C = A + B2 and cos α = C
2
B
(b) Find how long it takes the car to attain 90% of its limiting velocity, sin α = C . What is the amplitude, circular frequency, phase angle,
and how far it travels while doing so. frequency, period, and time lag. (This is an example of simple
harmonic motion)
Differential Equations - Homework For Test 2 3

2. A mass of 3 kg is attached to the end of a spring that is stretched 20 cm 8 A cylindrical buoy weighing 100 lb floats in water with its axis
by a force of 15 N. It is set in motion with initial position x0 = 0 and vertical. When depressed slightly and released, it oscillates up and
initial velocity v0 = −10 m/s. Use Hooke’s law to set up the differential down four times every ten seconds. Assume that friction is negligible.
equation and find the amplitude, period, and frequency of the Find the radius of the buoy.
resulting motion.
9. A pendulum with no friction can be modeled by the equation
3. A body with mass m = 21 kg is attached to the end of a spring that is 
stretched 2 meters by a force of 100 newtons. It is set in motion with  θ (t) = angle, in radians, with θ = 0

initial position x0 = 1 m and initial velocity v0 = −5 m/s. Find the d2 θ g

 pointing downward
position function of the body as well as the amplitude, frequency, + sin θ = 0 where
dt2 L  L = length of the pendulum, in meters
period of oscillation, and time lag of its motion.



g = 9.8 m/sec2
4. A box with mass 2 kg. stretches a spring 3 cm. If the box is initially at
rest, 6 cm above the equilibrium point, find all the times that the box (a) Since the above equation is non-linear, the differential equation
reaches the highest point above the equilibrium position and find the cannot be solved in elementary terms. However, using the
displacement from equilibrium at those times. Maclaurin series for sin u is given by

5. A box with weight 3 pounds stretches a spring 4 inches. If the box is u3 u5

initially at rest, 1 foot below the equilibrium point, find all the times sin u = u − + +...
3! 5!
that the box passes through the equilibrium position.
for small values of θ, we can approximate the above equation by
6. Suppose that in the previous problem, the mass of the box is doubled.
What happens to the times when the box passes through the d2 θ g
equilibrium position? + θ=0
dt2 L
7 Consider a floating cylindrical buoy with radius r, height h, and Use this equation, along with L = 1, θ (0) = π, and θ 0 (0) = 0.1, to
uniform density ρ = 0.5gm/cm3 .The buoy is initially suspended at rest sketch the graph solution.
with its bottom at the top surface of the water and is released at time
t = 0. Thereafter, it is acted on by two forces: a downward gravitation d2 θ g
(b) Using the equation + sin θ = 0 L = 1, θ (0) = π, and
force equal to its weight mg = ρπr2 hg and an upward force of dt2 L
θ 0 (0) = 0.1, Mathematica produces the the graph shown in the
buoyancy equal to the weight πr2 xg of water displaced, where
figure. Explain what the graph is telling you and why it is not the
x = x (t) is the depth of the bottom of the buoy beneath the surface of
same type of behavior as in part (a).
the water at time t. Conclude that the buoy undergoes simple
harmonicp motion around its equilibrium position xe = ρh with period Θ
p = 2π ρh/g. Compute p and the amplitude of the motion if h = 200
cm, g = 980 cm/sec2 , and density of water is 1 gm/cm3 40

30
r
20

10
h water level
x 5 10 15 20 25
t

Plot of t versus θ (t) for θ 00 + 9.8θ = 0, θ (0) = π, θ 0 (0) = 0.1

Differential Equations - Homework For Test 2 4

(c) If Mathematica was perfectly accurate, what would Mathematica sin 50t with a slowly varying amplitude from sin 5t. You can think of
draw as the solution curve to the following? Explain. the solution as x (t) = A(t) sin 50t where A(t) = sin 5t.

d2 θ g 3. A mass weighing 100 lb (mass m = 3.125 slugs) is attached to the end

+ sin θ = 0, θ (0) = π, θ 0 (0) = 0 of a spring that is stretched 1 in. by a force of 100 lb. A force F0 cos ωt
dt2 L
acts on the mass. At what frequency (in hertz) will resonance
Free Damped Motion oscillations occur? Neglect damping.

1. Find and graph the position function for the following initial value
problems that represent a mass-spring-dashpot system represented by Damped Forced Oscillations
the differential equation: mx 00 + cx 0 + kx = 0 Also describe what 1. A 16-pound weight stretches a spring 83 feet. Initially, the weight starts
type of damping is taking place: overdamped, critically damped, or from rest 2 feet below the equilibrium position, and the subsequent
underdamped. motion takes place with a damping force numerically equal to 12 the
(a) m = 10 c=9 k=2 x (0) = 0 x 0 (0) = 5 instantaneous velocity. The weight is driven by an external force equal
to f (t) = 10 cos ωt. For what value(s) of ω does resonance occur?
(b) m = 25 c = 10 k = 226 x (0) = 20 x 0 (0) = 41
2. Find and plot both the transient motion xtr (t) and steady periodic
Undamped Forced Oscillations oscillations xsp (t) = C cos(ωt − α) of a damped mass-and-spring
system:
1. For the differential equation mx 00 + kx = F0 cos ωt
(a) with m = 1, c = 2, and k = 26 under the influence of an external
(a) Derive the general solution: force F (t) = 82 cos 4t with x (0) = 6 and x 0 (0) = 0.
F0 /m
x (t) = c1 cos ω0 t + c2 sin ω0 t + 2 cos ωt (b) with m = 1, c = 4, and k = 5 under the influence of an external
ω0 − ω 2
r force F (t) = 10 cos 3t with x (0) = 0 and x 0 (0) = 0.
k
Use the substitution: ω0 = 3. A small mass m is suspended from a string attached to a wheel-spring
m
(b) Use the initial conditions x (0) = x 0 (0) = 0 to derive the system, as shown. The mass of the wheel is M and it has radius R. As
particular solution: the mass moves, the wheel rotates through an angle θ. The spring has
F0 a constant k.
x (t) = 2
(cos ωt − cos ω0 t)
m ( ω0 − ω 2 )
F0
(c) Evaluate lim (cos ωt − cos ω0 t)
ω → ω0 m ( ω 2 − ω 2 )
0
(d) Use the trigonometric identity
2 sin A sin B = cos( A − B) − cos( A + B) to rewrite the solution in
2F0 1 1
part b as: x (t) = sin (ω0 − ω )t sin (ω0 + ω )t
m(ω02 − ω 2 ) 2 2
2. Solve the following initial value problem.

0.1x 00 + 302.5x = 50 cos 45t x (0) = x 0 (0) = 0

Graph the solution x (t) = sin 5t sin 50t in Mathematica . This

phenomenon is known as beats. We have a rapid oscillation from
Differential Equations - Homework For Test 2 5

1 2 (b) Two brine tanks where tank 1 contains x (t) pounds of salt in 100
The potential energy of the spring is PE = kx . gal of brine and tank 2 contains y(t) pounds of salt in 200 gal of
2
The potential energy of the mass is PE = mgx. brine. The brine in each tank is kept uniform by sitrring, and
brine is pumped from each tank to the other at the rates
R 1 2
The kinetic energy of the mass is KE = mv . indicated. In addition, fresh water flows into tank 1.
2
The kinetic energy of the rotating wheel is
1
k KE = MR2 ω 2 .
4
x=0 The relationships between the variables are
dθ
m x = Rθ =ω
dt
Find and solve the differential equation that de-
scribes the motion of the mass m.

First Order Systems (c) The system of two masses and three springs:
Modeling with a System of Differential Equations
1. Write the system of differential equations for the following:
(a) The system of two masses and two springs with a given external
force f (t) acting on the right hand side of mass m2 .
(d) Two particles each of mass m are attached to a string under
tension T. Assume that the particles oscillate vertically with
amplitudes so small that the sines of the angles shown are
accurately approximated by their tangents.
Differential Equations - Homework For Test 2 6

(e) Three 100 gallon fermentation vats are connected and the (e) What is the effect on the romance if the value of b is increased?
mixtures in each tank are kept uniform by stirring. Denote by
xi (t) the amount of alcohol in tank Ti at time t. Suppose that the adapted from “Love Affairs and Differential Equations”, by Steven
mixture circulates between the tanks at the rate of 10 gal/min. Strogatz, Mathematics Magazine, vol. 1, February 1988

2. Tank A initially contains 1000 gallons of pure water and tank B

initially contains 1000 gallons of liquid, containing 50 pounds of
dissolved acid. An acid solution containing 0.1 lb/gal of acid is entering
tank A at 4 gal/min. The well mixed solution leaves tank A at 6 gal/min
and enters tank B. An acid solution containing 0.2 lb/gal of acid is
entering tank B at 1 gal/min. The well mixed solution leaves Tank B,
with 2 gal/min returning to tank A and 5 gal/min leaving the system.
(f) A particle of mass m moves in the plane with coordinates
( x (t), y(t)) under the influence of a force that is directed toward (a) Determine the amount of acid in each tank after the system is run
the origin and has magnitude k/( x2 + y2 ) (an pinverse-square for t minutes.
central force field). Use the substitution r = x2 + y2 . (b) Use Mathematica and the Plot command to create a single graph
(g) Suppose that a projectile of mass m moves in a vertical plane in showing the amount of acid in each tank on the time interval
the atmosphere near the surface of the earth under the influence 0 ≤ t ≤ 1 day.
of two forces: a downward gravitational force of magnitude mg,
and a resistive force that is directed opposite to the velocity 3. Earlier, you derived the system of differential equations:
vector v and has magnitude kv2 where v = kvk is the speed of the
mx 00 = qβy0 my00 = −qβx 0
projectile.
for a particle of mass m and electrical charge q under the influence of
Solving a System of Differential Equations the uniform magnetic field B = βk. Suppose that the initial conditions
are x (0) = r0 , y(0) = 0, x 0 (0) = 0, y0 (0) = −ωr0 where ω = qβ/m.
Elimination Method Show that the trajectory of the particle is a circle of radius r0 .
1. The system of differential equations
Operational Determinants Method
dr dj
= − aj, = br where a > 0, b > 0 1. Find the general solution of the system. Also find the natural
dt dt
frequencies of the mass-spring system and describe its natural modes
might be used to describe the affections of two lovers, Romeo and of oscillation.
Juliet. If positive values of r and j represent the amount of respective
love for the other,
(a) Solve the general system, with r (0) = 1, j(0) = 0.
(b) In terms of the romance, what is the meaning of the differential
Let m1 = 4 m2 = 2 k1 = 8 k2 = 4 and k3 = 0
equations?
(c) Sketch the parametric equation x = j(t), y = r (t) for a = 0.3 and
b = 0.1, on the interval 0 ≤ t ≤ 16. 2. Set up the system of differential equations assuming m = k = 1 and
(d) In terms of the romance, what is the effect of the negative sign in find the natural frequencies of oscillation of the system.
the equation dr
dt = − aj? How is this visible in the graph?
Differential Equations - Homework For Test 2 7

(a) Rewrite the solution in the form:

y( x ) = (c1 + c2 )e ax cos bx + i (c1 − c2 )e ax sin bx

(b) Pick values for c1 and c2 so that we get the two independent
real-valued solutions:
Theory Problems For Test 2
y1 ( x ) = e ax cos bx y2 ( x ) = e ax sin bx
1. Derive the differential equation (with respect to velocity) that
represents the vertical motion of mass m near the surface of the earth
8. The roots of the characteristic equation fo a certain differential
assuming air resistance is proportional to the square of the velocity.
equation are 3, -5, 0, 0 ,0, 0, -5, 2±3i, 2±3i. Write the general solution of
2. Let y1 ( x ) and y2 ( x ) be two solutions to the homogeneous linear this homogeneous differntial equation.
differential equation: y00 + p( x )y0 + q( x )y = 0 Show the
9. Find a particular solution of y00 − 4y = 2e2x
superposition principle by proving that y = c1 y1 + c2 y2 is a solution to
the differential equation. 10. Determine the appropriate form for a particular solution of the
fifth-order equation:
3. Prove that if the functions f and g are linearly dependent, then the
Wronskian is identically zero. ( D − 2)3 ( D2 + 9)y = x2 e2x + x sin 3x
4. Given the Homogeneous Linear Second Order Differential Equation
with Constant Coefficients:
Problems For Test 2: Answers
ay00 + by0 + cy = 0
Velocity-Acceleration Models
use the substitution y = erx to find the characteristic equation and
prove the general solution y( x ) = c1 er1 x + c2 er2 x where r1 and r2 are Constant Acceleration
distinct roots.
Sec 1.2
5. Use the method of Reduction of Order (y2 ( x ) = u( x )y1 ( x )) to find a
second solution to the following: 1. (31) v0 ≈ 54.77 m/s2 ≈ 197 km/hr

(a) y00 + 2y0 + y = 0 and y1 ( x ) = e− x is a solution 2. (32) xs = 60 m

(note: you could of found that solution yourself since we have p
constant coefficients) 3. (35) vs = 2gh
(b) x2 y00 − 5xy0 + 9y = 0 ( x > 0) and y1 ( x ) = x3 is a solution. 4. (36) ym ≈ 13.58 ft
6. Assuming r is a complex number, prove that the derivative of erx is 5. (41) v0 ≈ 181.33 ft/sec
rerx . Use Euler’s formula in your proof.
6. (42) y0 = 25 mi
7. Given:
ay00 + by0 + cy = 0 7. (44) v0 ≈ 54 mph

Assume our characteristic equation has roots that are complex

conjugates r1 = a + bi and r2 = a − bi so our solution is
y( x ) = c1 er1 x + c2 er2 x where r1 and r2 are complex conjugates.
Differential Equations - Homework For Test 2 8

Variable Acceleration Free Undamped Motion

Sec 2.3 1. (pg 187) Derivation done in class
mg
1. (pg 101) terminal speed = 2. (3) x (t) = −2 sin 5t amp=2 , circ freq = 5, period = 2π/5,
k
r freq = 5/2π
mg
2. (pg 103) terminal speed = √
k 5 √
3. (ex 1) x (t) = cos(10t − 5.8195) amp = 5/2, circ freq = 10,
3. (pg 105 ex4) height above the moon ≈ 41, 870 m 2
r period = π/5, freq = 5/π, time lag = .582
2GM
4. (pg 107) v0 > 2πk
R 4. ( - ) x (t) = 0.06 cos 18.07t t= (k ∈ Z) displacement = 0.06
r 18.07
2ghR √ π π
5. ( - ) v =
h+R 5. ( - ) x (t) = cos 4 6t t = √ + √ k (k ∈ Z)
8 6 4 6
mv2max  v2max  √
 
π π
6. ( - ) t = ln  2 6. ( - ) t = √ + √ k (k ∈ Z) 2 times slower than question five
2P vmax − v2  8 3 4 3
7. (1) t ≈ 31.5 sec 7. (10) x (t) = ρhp(1 − cos ω0 t) equilibrium position = ρh, circ freq =
8. (3) 577 ft ω0 , period = 2π ρh/g, amp = 100 cm, period = 2.01

9. (5) 778 ft 8. (11) r = 3.80784 in

10. (7) 9. ( - ) Mathematica Problem
(a) 100 ft/sec (a)
(b) t ≈ 23.0259 sec 1402.59 ft (b)
(c)
11. (19) v(10) = 30.5 ft/sec limiting velocity is 40 ft/sec
12. (20) 277.26 ft Free Damped Motion
2 1
1. (a) (13) x (t) = 50(e− 5 t − e− 2 t ) Over-damped
Mechanical Vibrations (b) (14) x (t) =
1
25e− 5 t cos(3t − .6435) Under-damped
Sec 3.4
Undamped Forced Oscillations
Derivations Sec 3.6
1. (pg 185) Derivation done in class 1. (pg 213)
2. (pg 186) (a)
(a) Derivation done in class (b)
(b) Derivation done in class (c)
Differential Equations - Homework For Test 2 9

(d) (c)
2. (pg 215 ex2) (d)
(e)
3. (19)
2. (like ex2 sec 4.1)
Damped Forced Oscillations (a)
Sec 3.6 (b)

1. ( - ) 3. (35)

2. (a) (pg 220 ex6)

Operational Determinants Method
(b) (11)
1. (39)
3. (pg 217)
2. (47)

First Order Systems Theory Problems For Test 2

Modeling with a System of Differential Equations 1. (sec 2.3 pg103)
Sec 4.1 2. (sec 3.1 pg149)
1. (a) (pg 247 ex1) 3. (sec 3.1 pg154)
(b) (ex2) 4. (sec 3.3 pg174)
(c) (24)
5. (sec 3.2)
(d) (25)
(e) (26) (a) (pg 172)
(f) (29) (b) (37)
(g) (30) 6. (sec 3.3 pg179)
7. (sec 3.3 pg179)
Solving a System of Differential Equations
(a)
Sec 4.2
(b)
Elimination Method 8. (sec 3.3 ex8)
1. ( - ) 9. (sec 3.5 ex4)
(a) 10. (sec 3.5 ex10)
(b)