Sample final examination questions

Question 2
a) Find the general solution of the differential equation y ′′′ − 3 y ′′ + 3 y ′ − y = e 2 x + 1.

b) (i) Show that the differential equation y ′′ + 2 y ′ − 8 y = 0 can be written as the

first order system of equations
⎛0 1 ⎞
y′ = ⎜ ⎟ y.
⎝ 8 −2 ⎠

(ii) Using eigenvalues and eigenvectors, find the general solution of the first
order linear system in (i).

(iii) What type of critical point does this system have?

c) Evaluate L {t cosh t}.

⎧ e −π s ⎫
d) Evaluate L−1 ⎨ 2 ⎬.
⎩s + 4⎭

e) Use Laplace transforms to solve the initial value problem

⎧et 0 ≤ t ≤ 1
y ′ + y = f (t ) , y (0) = 0 , where f (t ) = ⎨
⎩0 t > 1.
Solutions
Question 2 (4 + [1 + 3 + 1] + 2 +1 + 3 = 15 marks)

a)
λ 3 − 3λ 2 + 3λ − 1 = (λ − 1)3
yh = c1e x + c2 xe x + c3 x 2 e x
r ( x) = e 2 x + 1
choose y p = Ae2 x + B
y p′ = 2 Ae2 x
y p′′ = 4 Ae2 x
y p (3) = 8 Ae x
∴ 8 Ae2 x − 3(4 Ae2 x ) + 3(2 Ae2 x ) − Ae2 x − B = e2 x + 1
Ae2 x − B = e2 x + 1
A = 1, B = −1
∴ y( x) = c1e x + c2 xe x + c3 x 2 e x + e2 x − 1.
b) (i)
⎛0 1 ⎞
y′ = ⎜ ⎟ y.
⎝ 8 −2 ⎠

y ′′ = 8 y − 2 y ′
let
y1 = y ⎫⎪ y1′ = y ′ = 0 y1 + 1y2
⎬ ⇒
y2 = y ′⎪⎭ y2′ = y ′′ = 8 y − 2 y ′ = 8 y1 − 2 y2
⎛0 1⎞
∴y ′ = Ay where A = ⎜ ⎟.
⎝ 8 −2 ⎠

(ii)
eigenvalues:
0-λ 1
= 0 ⇒ λ 2 + 2λ − 8 = 0 ⇒ (λ + 4)(λ − 2) = 0 ⇒ λ = −4,2.
8 -2-λ

eigenvectors:
4 10 4 10 ⎛ 1 ⎞
⇒ ⇒ 4 x1 + x2 = 0 X(1) = ⎜ ⎟
8 20 0 00 ⎝ −4 ⎠

-2 1 0 -2 1 0 ⎛1⎞
⇒ ⇒ − 2 x1 + x2 = 0 X(2) = ⎜ ⎟
8 -4 0 0 00 ⎝ 2⎠

⎛ 1 ⎞ −4 t ⎛ 1 ⎞ 2t
∴ y = c1 ⎜ ⎟ e + c2 ⎜ ⎟ e .
⎝ −4 ⎠ ⎝ 2⎠

(iii)
p = a11 + a22 = 0 + −2 = −2
q = det A = −8
Δ = (−2)2 − 4(−8) = 36
∴ critical point is a saddle point.

c)
⎛ et + e − t ⎞ 1 −t
L{t cosh t} = L{t ⎜ ⎟} = ⎡⎣ L{te } + L{te }⎤⎦
t

⎝ 2 ⎠ 2
1⎡ 1 1 ⎤
= ⎢ + ⎥.
2 ⎢⎣ ( s − 1) (s + 1)2 ⎥⎦
2
d)
⎧ 1 ⎫ 1
L−1 ⎨ ⎬ = sin 2t
⎩s + 4⎭ 2
2

⎧ e−π s ⎫⎪ 1
∴ L−1 ⎪⎨ 2
1
⎬ = sin 2(t − π )U (t − π ) = sin 2t U (t − π ).
⎩⎪ s + 4 ⎭⎪ 2 2
e)
⎧et 0 ≤ t ≤1
′
y + y = f (t ) , y (0) = 0 , where f (t ) = ⎨
⎩0 t > 1.

f (t ) = et − etU (t − 1)

1 e− ( s −1)
sY − y(0) + Y = +
s −1 s −1
1 e− ( s −1)
(s + 1)Y = +
s −1 s −1
1 e−( s −1)
Y= +
( s − 1)( s + 1) ( s − 1)( s + 1)
⎧ e−( s −1) ⎫⎪
y(t ) = L−1 ⎪⎨
1
+ ⎬
⎩⎪ ( s − 1)( s + 1) ( s − 1)( s + 1) ⎭⎪
∴ y (t ) = sinh t + e1 sinh(t − 1)U (t − 1).
Question 2 ([3 + 2] + [1 + 3 + 1] + [1 + 1 + 3] = 15 marks)

a) (i) Find the general solution of x3 y ′′′ + x 2 y ′′ − 2 xy ′ + 2 y = 0, x > 0.

(ii) Set up the particular solution for the non-homogeneous differential

equation x3 y ′′′ + x 2 y ′′ − 2 xy ′ + 2 y = x −2 , x > 0 , clearly defining each
term in the particular solution.
(DO NOT evaluate the determinants or integrals in the particular solution.)

b) (i) Show that the second order differential equation y ′′ − 4 y ′ = 0 can be

written as the first order system of equations
⎛0 1⎞
y′ = ⎜ ⎟ y.
⎝0 4⎠
(ii) Find the general solution of the linear system in (i) using its eigenvalues
and eigenvectors.

(iii) Determine the stability of this system’s critical point.

c) (i) Find L {et sin 2 t} .

⎧ e −2 s ⎫
−1
(ii) Find L ⎨ 2 ⎬.
⎩s + s⎭

(iii) Solve the initial value problem y ′ − y = δ (t − 2), y (0) = 0.

Solutions
a) y ′′′ + 2 y ′′ = 2 cosh x
λ 3 + 2λ 2 = 0 ⇒ λ 2 (λ + 2) = 0 ⇒ λ = 0(order 2), -2
yh = c1 + c2 x + c3 e −2 x
y p = Ae x + Be − x , y p′ = Ae x − Be− x , y ′′ = Ae x + Be− x , y ′′′ = Ae x − Be− x ,
Ae x − Be − x + 2( Ae x + Be− x ) = e x + e − x
1
A = , B =1
3
1
y p = e x + e− x
3
1
∴ y = c1 + c2 x + c3 e −2 x + e x + e− x .
3
 ⎛3 0⎞
b) (i) A=⎜ ⎟
⎝1 1⎠
3−λ 0
= 0 ⇒ λ = 3,1
1 1− λ
λ = 3:
0 0 0 ⎛ 2⎞
⇒ x1 − 2 x2 = 0 ⇒ X(1) = ⎜ ⎟
1 −2 0 ⎝1⎠
λ = 1:
2 00 ⎛0⎞
⇒ x1 = 0 ⇒ X(1) = ⎜ ⎟
1 00 ⎝1⎠
⎛ 2⎞ ⎛0⎞
∴ y = c1 ⎜ ⎟ e3t + c2 ⎜ ⎟ et .
⎝1⎠ ⎝1⎠

(ii) p = a11 + a22 = 3 + 1 = 4, q = det A = 3, Δ = 16 − 12 = 4

Critical point is an unstable node.

⎧1 + cos 2t ⎫ 1 ⎡ 1 s ⎤
c) (i) L {cos 2 t} = L ⎨ ⎬= ⎢ + 2 .
⎩ 2 ⎭ 2 ⎣ s s + 4 ⎥⎦

⎧ e− s ⎫ 1
⎬ = sinh 2(t − 1)U (t − 1) or ( e − e −2(t −1) ) U (t − 1).
1 2(t −1)
(ii) L−1 ⎨ 2
⎩ ( s − 4) ⎭ 2 4

(iii) s 2Y − sy (0) − y ′(0) + 2( sY − y (0)) − 3Y = e −2 s

( s 2 + 2s − 3)Y = e −2 s

e −2 s e −2 s ⎛ −1 1 ⎞
Y= 2 = = ⎜ 4 + 4 ⎟ e −2 s
s + 2s − 3 ( s + 3)( s − 1) ⎜ s + 3 s − 1 ⎟
⎝ ⎠
1
∴ y (t ) = ⎡⎣ e( t − 2) − e−3( t − 2) ⎤⎦ U (t − 2)
4