FAQ 1

How to Get the Solution of the

Differential Equation m x + k x = 0
in the Form: x = A sin n t + B cos n t
or x = X sin (n t + ) ?

 The differential equation

mx + k x = 0

(1)

is a second order homogeneous differential equation

with constant coefficients. (k and m are constants.)
Since the coefficients are constants, we can assume
solution to Eq. (1) in the exponential form

x=e
x = s e s t
x = s 2 e s t
st

(2)
(3)
(4)

where s is a constant yet to be determined.

2

 Substituting for x and x in Eq. (1) , we get the

characteristic equation as

m s e + ke = 0
2 st

st

m s +k =0
2

(5)

The two roots of the characteristic equations are:

k
k
k
s1, 2 = = 1
= i
m
m
m
Letting

n = k / m ,
s1 = + i n

(6)

the two roots are:

and s2 = i n
3

 Substituting these roots in Eq. (2), we get two possible

solutions:
+i t

x1 = C e n
x2 = C e i n t

(7 )

These are two linearly independent solutions to Eq. (1).

So, any linear combination of them will also be a solution.
The general solution can therefore be written as

x = C1e

+ i n t

+ C2 e

i n t

(8)

The constants C1 and C2 can be determined in terms of

initial conditions., viz., x(t = 0) = x0 and x (t = 0) = x0
The solution given by Eq. (8) is in exponential form. Of
course, we can stop here as we have already got the
general solution to the differential equation. However,
next slide shows a more convenient form of solution.
4

 Using Eulers formula

eix = cos x + i sin x ,

i n t

e = cos n t + i sin n t
e in t = cos n t i sin n t

we can write

(9)
(10)

Substituting Eq. (9) and (10) in Eq. (8) and rearraning,

x = (C1 + C2 ) cos n t + i (C1 C2 ) sin n t

(11)

Since C1 and C2 are arbitrary constants, we can rewrite

Eq. (11) using another set of constants A and B as

x = A sin n t + B cos n t

(12)

The constants A and B can be determined based on

initial conditions. Eq. (12) is in trigonometric form.
Next slide shows another convenient form of solution.

For real values of initial displacement and initial velocity, i(C1-C2) and (C1+C2) will
both turn out to be real. So, we can represent them by real constants A and B .

 We can also rewrite Eq. (12) in an equivalent form as

x = X sin (n t + )

(13)

The constants X and can be determined based on initial

conditions.

Sine Eq. (12) and (13) are equivalent, we can now find
how the constants X and are related to the constants A
and B. In order to do that:
Expand Eq. (13) as

x = X (sin n t cos + cos n t sin )

(14)
6

 Comparing the coefficients of sin n t and

on the right sides of Eqs. (12) and (14):

X cos = A
X sin = B

cos n t

(15)
(16)

Squaring both sides of Eq. (15) & Eq. (16) and adding,
we get

X = A +B
2

(17)

Dividing Eq. (16) by Eq(15), we get

B
= tan
A
1

(19)

So Eq. (13) can be written as

x = A + B sin n t + tan
2

( ))

1 B
A

(20)