MATH 215/255 Homework 4

Submit online via Canvas by 11:59pm, Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

This homework set includes written problems only. It has no MATLAB problems.
§2.1, §2.4, §2.5

The written part counts for 20 points.

1. (The method of reduction of order). The following equation

d2 y dy
(1 − t2 ) + 2t − 2y = 0, (1)
dt2 dt
has a solution y1 (t) = t. If we assume y2 (t) = y1 (t)v(t) is another solution, we find that v(t)
satisfies
2t2
 
00
tv + 2 + v 0 = 0.
1 − t2
Hence w = v 0 satisfies  
0 2 2t
w + + w = 0.
t 1 − t2
(a) Solve w and v. You may assume w > 0 and 0 < t < 1 for simplicity.
Answer. The equation of w0 is separable. Integrating
dw 2 2t
=− − ,
w t 1 − t2
we get (using w > 0)
ln w = −2 ln t + ln(1 − t2 )
Hence
1 − t2 1 − t2
Z Z
1 1
w= , v= dt = − 1dt = − − t + C
t2 t2 t2 t
W may choose C = 0. Then
y2 (t) = tv(t) = −1 − t2 .
Note: Once we have found y2 (t), we can check that it is a solution also for t ∈ (−1, 1).
(b) Solve (1) with the initial conditions y(0) = 3 and y 0 (0) = −4.
Answer. The general solution is

y(t) = c1 y1 (t) + c2 y2 (t) = c1 t − c2 (1 + t2 ).

Thus y 0 (t) = c1 − 2c2 t. The initial conditions give y(0) = −c2 = 3 and y 0 (0) = c1 = −4. Thus
c1 = −4, c2 = −3, and y(t) = −4t − (−3)(1 + t2 ) = 3t2 − 4t + 3.

2. 2.4.2: Consider a mass and spring system with a mass m = 2, spring constant k = 3, and
damping constant c = 1. a) Set up and find the general solution of the system. b) Is the system
underdamped, overdamped or critically damped? c) If the system is not critically damped, find
a c that makes the system critically damped.

1
 Answer. a). Let x(t) be the displacement of the mass at time t. By the assumption, our
differential equation is:
mx00 + cx0 + kx = 2x00 + x0 + 3x = 0.

The characteristic equation of 2x00 + x0 + 3x = 0 is:

2r2 + r + 3 = 0.

Solving 2r2 + r + 3 = 0, we have

√ √ √
−1 + 1 − 4 · 2 · 3 −1 + i 23 −1 − i 23
r1 = = , and r2 = .
4 4 4

So the general solution to 2x00 + x0 + 3x = 0 is:

√ ! √ !
− 4t 23 − 4t 23
x(t) = C1 e cos t + C2 e sin t .
4 4

b). Since 1 − 4 · 2 · 3 = −23 < 0, the system is underdamped .

c). In order to make the system to be critically damped, that is,

c2 − 4 · 2 · 3 = 0.

Then √ √
c= 24 = 2 6 .

3. 2.4.6: Suppose you wish to measure the friction a mass of 0.1 kg experiences as it slides along
a floor (you wish to find c). You have a spring with spring constant k = 5 N/m. You take the
spring, you attach it to the mass and fix it to a wall. Then you pull on the spring and let the
mass go. You find that the mass oscillates with frequency 1 Hz. What is the friction?
Answer. It’s easy to see that our differential equation is:

0.1x00 + cx0 + 5x = 0.

Rewrite the equation as

x00 + 10cx0 + 50x = 0.

By the assumption, we know that our motion is underdamped with frequency 1 Hz, which implies
that (10c)2 − 4 · 50 < 0 and
p √
4 · 50 − (10c)2 200 − 100c2 p
1 · 2π = = = 50 − 25c2 .
2 2
r
4π 2
So we get 25c2 = 50 − 4π 2 , that is, c = 2− ≈ 0.648. Hence the friction is 0.648 .
25

2
4. 2.4.101: A mass of 2 kilograms is on a spring with spring constant k newtons per meter with
no damping. Suppose the system is at rest and at time t = 0 the mass is kicked and starts
traveling at 2 meters per second. How large does k have to be to so that the mass does not go
further than 3 meters from the rest position?
Answer. The only force acting on the spring is the spring compression force so the differential
equation is mx00 = −kx where m = 2 kg is the mass and k is the spring constant. The spring
is initially uncompressed so x(0) = 0, and it was kicked at a velocity of 2 m/s so x0 (0) = 2.
Therefore the initial value problem we have to solve is
k
x00 (t) + x(t) = 0, x(0) = 0, x0 (0) = 2.
m
The general solution is
r  r 
k k
x(t) = A cos x + B sin x .
m m
The initial conditions give
r
0 k
0 = x(0) = A, 2 = x (0) = B,
m
p
so A = 0 and B = 2 m/k. Therefore the solution is
r r 
m k
x(t) = 2 sin x .
k m
A maximum displacement of 3 m means that
r
m 4m 8
|x(t)| ≤ 3 ⇐⇒ 2 ≤ 3 =⇒ k ≥ = .
k 9 9
Therefore to ensure the mass doesn’t go farther than 3 m from the rest position we must have

8
k≥ N/m .
9

5. 2.5.2: Find a particular solution of y 00 − y 0 − 6y = e2x .

Answer. The characteristic equation of y 00 − y 0 − 6y = 0 is:

r2 − r − 6 = 0.

Solve r2 − r − 6 = 0, then
r1 = 3, and r2 = −2.

Let y(x) = Ae2x be a particular solution to y 00 − y 0 − 6y = e2x , then

y 0 (x) = 2Ae2x , and y 00 (x) = 4Ae2x .

So we have
4Ae2x − 2Ae2x − 6Ae2x = e2x .

3
 That is,
−4Ae2x = e2x .

So
1
A=− .
4
Therefore, a particular solution of y 00 − y 0 − 6y = e2x is:

e2x
y(x) = − .
4

6. 2.5.3: Find a particular solution of y 00 − 4y 0 + 4y = e2x .

Answer. The characteristic equation of y 00 − 4y 0 + 4y = 0 is:

r2 − 4r + 4 = 0.

Solve r2 − 4r + 4 = 0, then
r1 = r2 = 2.

Let y(x) = Ax2 e2x be a particular solution to y 00 − 4y 0 + 4y = e2x , then

y 0 (x) = 2Axe2x + 2Ax2 e2x , and y 00 (x) = 2Ae2x + 4Axe2x + 4Axe2x + 4Ax2 e2x .

So we have

2Ae2x + 4Axe2x + 4Axe2x + 4Ax2 e2x − 4 2Axe2x + 2Ax2 e2x + 4Ax2 e2x = e2x .
 

That is,
2Ae2x = e2x .

So
1
A= .
2
Therefore, a particular solution of y 00 − 4y 0 + 4 = e2x is:

x2 e2x
y(x) = .
2

7. Let k be a real constant. Find a particular solution to y 00 + 4y = sin kt.

(Hint: You should consider two cases k = 2 or k 6= 2.)
Answer. The characteristic equation to y 00 + 4y = 0 is r2 + 4 = 0. Hence

r = ±2i.

The general solution is

yc (t) = c1 cos 2t + c2 sin 2t.

4
 For force f = sin kt, the first guess of a particular solution is
yp (t) = a cos kt + b sin kt. (2)
Case 1. k 6= 2. The terms of yp do not overlap those of yc . Hence the guess (3) is good. We
have
yp0 (t) = −ak sin kt + bk cos kt, yp00 (t) = −ak 2 cos kt − bk 2 sin kt.
Lyp = yp00 + 4yp = a(4 − k 2 ) cos kt + (4 − bk 2 ) sin kt.
Comparing coefficients, we have
a(4 − k 2 ) = 0, b(4 − k 2 ) = 1.

1 1
Hence a = 0 b = 4−k2
, and yp (t) = sin kt .
4 − k2
Case 2. k = 2. The terms of yp overlap those of yc . Hence the guess (3) is bad since Lyp = 0.
We revise it by multiplying it by t:
yp (t) = at cos 2t + bt sin 2t.
We have
yp0 (t) = (−2at + b) sin 2t + (2bt + a) cos 2t,
yp00 (t) = (−4at + 2b + 2b) cos 2t + (−4bt − 2a − 2a) sin 2t.
Lyp = yp00 + 4yp = 4b cos 2t − 4a sin 2t.
1
Comparing coefficients, we have 4b = 0 and −4a = 1. Hence yp (t) = − t cos 2t .
4

8. Let k be a real constant. Find the form of a particular solution to Ly = y 00 +4y 0 +5y = e−kt sin t.
You do not need to find the coefficients. (Hint: You should consider two cases k = 2 or k 6= 2.)
Answer. The characteristic equation to Ly = 0 is
r2 + 4r + 5 = 0.
Completing square, (r + 2)2 = −1, hence
r1 , r2 = −2 ± i.
The general solution is
yc (t) = c1 e−2t cos t + c2 e−2t sin t.
For force f = e−kt sin t, the first guess of a particular solution is
yp (t) = ae−kt cos t + be−kt sin t. (3)
Case 1. k 6= 2. The terms of yp do not overlap those of yc . Hence the guess (3) is good.
Case 2. k = 2. The terms of yp overlap those of yc . Hence the guess (3) is bad since Lyp = 0.
We revise it by multiplying it by t:
yp (t) = ate−kt cos t + bte−kt sin t.