MATH323 2023 CLASS TEST SOLUTIONS

1.(a) (Lecture, homework based question)

x(x − 1)y ′′ − 2xy ′ + 2y = 0. (1)

Inserting y = xn
(n(n − 1) − 2n + 2) xn − n(n − 1) xn−1 = 0
| {z } | {z }
n2 −3n+2⇒n=1,2 n=0,1

[2 marks]
Both terms vanish for n = 1 ⇒ y1 = x. [1 mark]

(b) For the second solution: y2 (x) = z(x)y1 (x) = xz(x)

′ ′ ′′ ′ ′′
y2 = z + xz , y2 = 2z + xz .

From ODE x(x − 1)(xz ′′ + 2z ′ ) − 2x(z ′ x + z) + 2zx = 0

x2 (x − 1)z ′′ + 2x2 z ′ − 2xz ′ − 2x2 z ′ = 0

x(x − 1)w′ = 2w for w = z ′

 
dw 2dx 1 1
= =2 − dx [3 marks]
w x(x − 1) x−1 x
 2
1
ln w = 2(ln(x − 1) − ln x) = ln 1 −
x
2 1 1
w =1− + 2 , z = x − 2 ln x − .
x x x
Hence y2 = x2 − 2x ln x − 1.
The general solution is y = C1 x + C2 (x2 − 2x ln x − 1). [3 marks]

(c)
m2 − 6m + 8 = 0 ⇒ (m − 2)(m − 4) = 0 ⇒ m = 2, 4.
yCF = C1 e2x + C2 e4x .
[1 mark]
Using the variation of parameters formula

yp = L1 (x)y1 + L2 (x)y2 , y1 = e2x , y2 = e4x

yp = L1 (x)e2x + L2 (x)e4x .
For finding L1 (x) and L2 (x)

L′1 e2x + L′2 e4x = 0, ⇒ L′1 + L′2 e2x = 0

2L′1 e2x + 4L′2 e4x = 8xe6x ⇒ L′1 + 2L′2 e2x = 4xe4x

L′1 = −L′2 e2x ⇒ L′2 = 4xe2x
Z Z
1
⇒ L2 = 4 xe dx = 2(xe − e2x dx) = 2(xe2x − e2x ) = 2xe2x − e2x = e2x (2x − 1)
2x 2x
2
[3 marks]

1
 L′1 = −L′2 e2x = −4xe4x ⇒
Z
1 1
L1 = −(xe − e4x dx) = −xe4x + e4x = e4x ( − x)
4x
4 4
[2 marks]
The general solution is
1
y = C1 e2x + C2 e4x + e4x ( − x)e2x + e2x (2x − 1)e4x .
4
3
y = C1 e2x + C2 e4x + xe6x − e6x .
4
[2 marks]
From Boundary conditions
1 3 1
y(0) = ⇒ C1 + C2 − =
4 4 4
1
y(1) = e6 ⇒ C1 e2 + C2 e4 = 0.
4
1 e2
⇒ C1 = −C2 e2 ⇒ C2 − C2 e2 = 1 ⇒ C2 = ⇒ C 1 = − .
1 − e2 1 − e2
e2 2x 1 3
⇒y=− 2
e + 2
e4x + xe6x − e6x .
1−e 1−e 4
[3 marks]

2
2. (Lecture, homework based question)
  
∂F d ∂F d ∂F ∂F
(a) EL equation: − ′
=0⇒ ′
= 0 ⇒ ′ = const. [1 mark]
∂y dx ∂y dx ∂y ∂y

(b) F = y ′ + x(4 + x2 )y ′2
C1 − 1 1 1
⇒ 1 + 2x(4 + x2 )y ′ = C1 , y′ = 2
=C [2 marks]
2 x(4 + x ) x(4 + x2 )

1 a b + cx
2
= +
x(4 + x ) x 4 + x2
1 1
1 = ax2 + 4a + bx + cx2 ⇒ b = 0, a = , c = − .
4 4
[2 marks]
Hence Z  
C 1 x C C
y(x) = − dx = ln |x| − ln(4 + x2 ) + B
4 x 4 + x2 4 8
C x2
= ln 2 +B
8 x +4
[2 marks]
Boundary conditions: y(−∞) = 0 ⇒ B = 0
y(−2) = ln 2 ⇒ C = −8

x2 + 4
⇒ y(x) = ln .
x2
[3 marks]
2
∂ F
(c) Legendre condition: ′2
= 2x(4 + x2 ) < 0 , x ∈ (−∞, −2).
∂y
The extremum is maximum. [2 marks]

(d) For the functional with

F = x6 (y ′ )2 + 14x4 y 2
EL equation:
d
28x4 y − (2x6 y ′ ) = 0
dx
x (x y + 6xy ′ − 14y) = 0,
4 2 ′′

y = xn , n(n − 1) + 6n − 14 = n2 + 5n − 14 = (n + 7)(n − 2) = 0
y = Ax−7 + Bx2 [4 marks]
1 1 2
From boundary coditions A = 0, B = , y(x) = x [2 marks]
2 Z 2
  1 9
1 R1 1 9 8 x 1
The value of J[y]: J x2 = 0 (x6 x2 + 14x4 x4 )dx = x dx = |10 = . [1 mark]
2 4 0 2 2 2
This must be a minimum, since only one stationary value was found and J[y] > 0 can
obviously be made arbitrarily large. [1 mark]

3
(Lecture, homework based question)
3. Solution. (a) If F solves the variational problem and G satisfies the constraint equation

then H = F + λG will also satisfy Euler-Lagrange equation for any λ. This is because
Z b Z b Z b Z b Z b
Hdx = (F + λG)dx = F dx + λ Gdx = F dx + λC
a a a a a

and thus if F is an extremal then so is H (the other term is a constant). This leads to the
solution of the Euler-Lagrange equation for the functional H
 
∂H d ∂H
− = 0 with H = F + λG. (2)
∂y dx ∂y ′

After finding a general solution of (2) the constants in the solution and the Langrange multiplier
can be determined from the boundary conditions y(a) = y1 and y(b) = y2 and the constrained
equation. [2 marks]

(b)
H = F + λG = x3 y ′2 + 8xy 2 + λx3 y.
EL equation
d
(2x3 y ′ ) − 16xy − λx3 = 0
dx
1
x3 y ′′ + 3x2 y ′ − 8xy = λx3
2
1
x2 y ′′ + 3xy ′ − 8y = λx2
2
[3 marks]
m
Euler ODE, y = x

m(m − 1) + 3m − 8 = m2 + 2m − 8 = (m + 4)(m − 2) = 0 ⇒ m1 = −4, m2 = 2

C1
yCF = + C2 x 2
x4
[4 marks]
Natural form for yP I is part of yCF . Try

yP I = Ax2 ln x

⇒ y ′ = A(x + 2x ln x), y ′′ = A(3 + 2 ln x)

Substituting into the ODE
λ 2
x2 A(3 + 2 ln x) + 3x2 A(1 + 2 ln x) − 8Ax2 ln x = x
2
λ λ
6A = , A= .
2 12
C1 λ
y= 4
+ C2 x2 + x2 ln x
x 12
[4 marks]

4
 Boundary conditions
lim y(x) = 0 ⇒ C1 = 0
x→0

y(1) = 1 ⇒ C2 = 1. [2 marks]
Constraints Z 1 Z 1
1 3 λ
= x ydx = (x5 + x5 ln x)dx
3 0 0 12
 
Z 1 6
1  x6
λ  1 x 1   1 λ
= +  ln x|0 − dx = − ⇒ λ = −72 .
6 12 |6 {z } 0 6 x  6 6 · 72
| {z }
=0 1
36

[3 marks]
The extremal is
y(x) = x2 (1 − 6 ln x).
[1 mark]
(c)
∂ 2H
= 2x3 ≥ 0, 0 < x < 1
∂y ′2
suggesting that the stationary point is a minimum. [1 mark]