Differential Equation of Higher Order

General linear differential equation of order 𝑛

𝒅𝒏 𝒚 𝒅𝒏−𝟏𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝒃𝟎 (𝒙) 𝒏
+ 𝒃𝟏 ( 𝒙 ) 𝒏−𝟏
+ ∙∙∙ +𝒃𝒏−𝟏 (𝒙) + 𝒃𝒏 (𝒙)𝒚 = 𝑹(𝒙)
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙
When 𝑹(𝒙) = 𝟎, it is homogeneous linear differential equation of order 𝒏 ; and

When 𝑹(𝒙) ≠ 𝟎, it is nonhomogeneous linear differential equation of order 𝒏.

Classify each of the following differential equation of higher order if linear or

nonlinear, homogenous or nonhomogeneous and order.

𝒅𝟑 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝟏 𝒅𝒚 Linear homogeneous differential

𝒙𝟐 − (𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐) + − 𝟒𝒙𝒚 = 𝟎 equation of order 3
𝒅𝒙𝟑 𝒅𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝒅𝒙

𝒅𝟑 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝟏 𝒅𝒚 Linear nonhomogeneous differential

𝒙𝟐 − (𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐) + − 𝟒𝒙𝒚 = 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟏 equation of order 3
𝒅𝒙𝟑 𝒅𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝒅𝒙

𝒅𝟑 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚
𝟐
𝟏 𝒅𝒚 Nonlinear homogeneous differential
𝒙𝟐 − (𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐) ( ) + − 𝟒𝒙𝒚 = 𝟎 equation of order 3
𝒅𝒙𝟑 𝒅𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝒅𝒙

𝒅𝟑 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚
𝟐
𝟏 𝒅𝒚 Nonlinear nonhomogeneous differential
𝒙𝟐 − (𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐) ( ) + − 𝟒𝒙𝒚 = 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟏 equation of order 3
𝒅𝒙𝟑 𝒅𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝒅𝒙
𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝟏 𝒅𝒚 Nonlinear nonhomogeneous differential
𝒙𝟐 𝒚 + − 𝟒𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟐 = −𝟏
𝒅𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝒅𝒙 equation of order 2

𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝟏 𝒅𝒚 Linear homogenous differential

𝒙𝟐 + − 𝟒𝒙𝟐 𝒚 = −𝒚
𝒅𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝒅𝒙 equation order 2.

𝒅𝟑 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝟏 𝒅𝒚
𝒙𝟐 − (𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐) + − 𝟒𝒙𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟑 𝒅𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝒅𝒙

𝟏
𝒙𝟐 𝒚(𝟑) − (𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐)𝒚′′ + 𝒚′ − 𝟒𝒙𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒙
Homogeneous Linear Differential Equations of Higher Order
𝒏 with Constant Coefficients

𝒅𝒏 𝒚 𝒅𝒏−𝟏 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝒂𝟎 𝒏 + 𝒂𝟏 𝒏−𝟏 + ∙∙∙ +𝒂𝒏−𝟏 + 𝒂𝒏 𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙
Where 𝒂𝟎 , 𝒂𝟏 , ∙ ∙ ∙ 𝒂𝒏−𝟏 and 𝒂𝒏 are constants.

𝒅𝟑 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝟑 − 𝟒 𝟐 + 𝟑 − 𝟒𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙

General Solution of Homogenous Linear Differential Equation of

Higher Order 𝒏 with Constant Coefficients

𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒚𝟏 (𝒙) + 𝒄𝟐 𝒚𝟐 (𝒙) + ∙ ∙ ∙ + 𝒄𝒏 𝒚𝒏 (𝒙)

Where 𝒄𝟏 , 𝒄𝟐 , ∙ ∙ ∙ , 𝒄𝒏 are arbitrary constants and

𝒚𝟏 (𝒙), 𝒚𝟐 (𝒙), ∙ ∙ ∙∙ , 𝒚𝒏 (𝒙) are linear independent functions.

Find the general solution of the following

𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
a) − 𝟓 𝒅𝒙 + 𝟔𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟐
𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
b) − 𝟔 𝒅𝒙 + 𝟗𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟐
𝒅𝟑 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
c) + 𝟕 𝒅𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏𝟐 𝒅𝒙 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟑
 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
a) − 𝟓 𝒅𝒙 + 𝟔𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟐

Solve by substitution. Let 𝒚 = 𝒆𝒎𝒙 where 𝒎 is constant to be solved.

𝒅𝒚
= 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒙
𝒅𝒙

𝒅𝟐 𝒚
= 𝒎𝟐 𝒆𝒎𝒙
𝒅𝒙𝟐

𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
Substitute in − 𝟓 𝒅𝒙 + 𝟔𝒚 = 𝟎.
𝒅𝒙𝟐

𝒎𝟐 𝒆𝒎𝒙 − 𝟓(𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒙 ) + 𝟔(𝒆𝒎𝒙 ) = 𝟎

𝒎𝟐 𝒆𝒎𝒙 − 𝟓𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒙 + 𝟔𝒆𝒎𝒙 = 𝟎

Auxiliary Equation
𝒆𝒎𝒙 (𝒎𝟐 − 𝟓𝒎 + 𝟔) = 𝟎

𝒆𝒎𝒙 = 𝟎 ; 𝒎𝟐 − 𝟓𝒎 + 𝟔 = 𝟎

(𝒎 − 𝟑)(𝒎 − 𝟐) = 𝟎

𝒎 − 𝟑 = 𝟎; 𝒎 − 𝟐 = 𝟎 Roots of
Auxiliary
𝒎 = 𝟑 ;𝒎 = 𝟐
Equation

Substitute in 𝒚 = 𝒆𝒎𝒙 , therefore 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒆𝟑𝒙 and 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒆𝟐𝒙

Substitute in the general solution

𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙 is the general solution of − 𝟓 𝒅𝒙 + 𝟔𝒚 = 𝟎.
𝒅𝒙𝟐

Check: 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙

𝒚′ = 𝟑𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝟐𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙

𝒚′′ = 𝟗𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝟒𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙

𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
Substitute in − 𝟓 𝒅𝒙 + 𝟔𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟐

(𝟗𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝟒𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙 ) − 𝟓(𝟑𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝟐𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙 ) + 𝟔(𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙 ) = 𝟎
𝟗𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝟒𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏𝟓𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 − 𝟏𝟎𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙 + 𝟔𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝟔𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟐𝒙 = 𝟎
0=0
 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
b) − 𝟔 𝒅𝒙 + 𝟗𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟐

Write the auxiliary equation: 𝑚2 − 6𝑚 + 9 = 0

Roots of the Auxiliary Equation: (𝑚 − 3)2 = 0
(𝑚 − 3)(𝑚 − 3) = 0
𝑚 =3; 𝑚 = 3
Substitute in 𝒚 = 𝒆𝒎𝒙 ; 𝒚𝟏 = 𝒆𝟑𝒙 ; 𝒚𝟐 = 𝒙𝒆𝟑𝒙

𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒆𝟑𝒙 is the general solution of − 𝟔 𝒅𝒙 + 𝟗𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟐

𝒅𝟑 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
C) Solve 𝟑
+𝟕 + 𝟏𝟐 =𝟎
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙𝟐 𝒅𝒙

Auxiliary Equation: 𝒎𝟑 + 𝟕𝒎𝟐 + 𝟏𝟐𝒎 = 𝟎

𝒎(𝒎 + 𝟑)(𝒎 + 𝟒) = 𝟎
𝒎 = 𝟎; 𝒎 = −𝟑; 𝒎 = −𝟒

𝒚𝟏 = 𝒆𝟎𝒙 ; 𝒚𝟐 = 𝒆−𝟑𝒙 ; 𝒚𝟑 = 𝒆−𝟒𝒙

𝒚𝟏 = 𝟏 ; 𝒚𝟐 = 𝒆−𝟑𝒙 ; 𝒚𝟑 = 𝒆−𝟒𝒙

𝒅𝟑 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟑𝒙 + 𝒄𝟑 𝒆−𝟒𝒙 is the general solution of + 𝟕 𝒅𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏𝟐 𝒅𝒙 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟑
Eliminate the arbitrary constants in 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝟕𝒙
Solution:
𝒎 = 𝟎; 𝒎 = 𝟕
𝒎 = 𝟎 ;𝒎 − 𝟕 = 𝟎
𝒎(𝒎 − 𝟕) = 𝟎
𝒎𝟐 − 𝟕𝒎 = 𝟎
𝒅𝟐 𝒚 𝒅𝒚
− 𝟕 𝒅𝒙 = 0
𝒅𝒙𝟐
Case 1. The roots of auxiliary equation are distinct real roots 𝒎
𝒎𝟏 ≠ 𝒎 𝟐 ≠ ∙ ∙ ∙ ≠ 𝒎𝒏
The general solution is 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝒎𝟐𝒙 + ∙ ∙ ∙ + 𝒄𝒏 𝒆𝒎𝒏 𝒙

Find the general solution of 𝒚′′′ + 𝟏𝟏𝒚′′ + 𝟑𝟎𝒚′ = 𝟎

Case 2. The roots of auxiliary equation are repeated real roots 𝒎

𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐 = ∙ ∙ ∙ = 𝒎𝒏
The general solution is 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙 + ∙ ∙ ∙ + 𝒄𝒏 𝒙𝒏−𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝒏 𝒙

Find the general solution of 𝒚(𝟒) + 𝟔𝒚(𝟑) + 𝟏𝟑𝒚′′ + 𝟏𝟐𝒚′ + 𝟒𝒚 = 𝟎.

Auxiliary equation:
𝒎𝟒 + 𝟔𝒎𝟑 + 𝟏𝟑𝒎𝟐 + 𝟏𝟐𝒎 + 𝟒 = 𝟎
Use Synthetic Division
1 6 13 12 4
-1 -5 -8 -4 𝒎 = −𝟏
1 5 8 4 0

- 2 -6 -4 𝒎 = −𝟐
1 3 2 0 or 𝑚2 + 3𝑚 + 2 = 0
(𝒎 + 𝟐)(𝒎 + 𝟏) = 𝟎
𝒎 = −𝟐; 𝒎 = −𝟏
𝒚𝟏 = 𝒆−𝒙 ; 𝒚𝟐 = 𝒙𝒆−𝒙 ; 𝒚𝟑 = 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 ; 𝒚𝟒 = 𝒙𝒆−𝟐𝒙
𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆−𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒆−𝒙 + 𝒄𝟑 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 + 𝒄𝟒 𝒙𝒆−𝟐𝒙 is the general solution of
𝒚(𝟒) + 𝟔𝒚(𝟑) + 𝟏𝟑𝒚′′ + 𝟏𝟐𝒚′ + 𝟒𝒚 = 𝟎
Case 3. The roots of auxiliary equation are imaginary roots 𝒎
𝒎 = 𝒂 + 𝒃𝒊
Where 𝒂 and 𝒃 are real numbers and 𝒊 is imaginary number.

The general solution is 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒂𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝒂𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝒃𝒙

Find the general solution of 𝒚′′ + 𝟐𝒚′ + 𝟏𝟎𝒚 = 𝟎

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