HW #1 Solutions

Math 181, Fall 2019

Instructor: Dr. Doreen De Leon

1. For each differential equation, do the following.

(i) Determine the order of the equation.

(ii) Determine if the equation is linear or nonlinear.
(iii) If the equation is linear, determine if it is homogeneous or nonhomogeneous.

d2 y dy d3 y
(a) + 2 +x=0
dx2 dx dx3
(b) y 00 − 3y 0 + 2y = x3 sin(x)
(c) x3 y 000 + (2x − 1)y 0 = y
(d) y (4) − ln(x)y 00 = 6
(e) (y 00 )2 = x2 exy
(f) cos(x)y 000 + 2 sin(x)y 0 = 0

Solution:

(a) third order, nonlinear

(b) second order, linear, nonhomogeneous
(c) third order, linear, homogeneous
(d) fourth order, linear, nonhomogeneous
(e) second order, nonlinear
(f) third order, linear, homogeneous

2. Consider the autonomous differential equation

y 0 = y 2 (2 − y).

(a) Determine the equilibruim solutions.

(b) Sketch the solution curves for t ≥ 0, −∞ < y < ∞.

Solution:

(a) Solve 0 = y 2 (2 − y) to obtain y = 0, 2.

(b) Let f (y) = y 2 (2 − y) = −y 2 (y − 2). Then we have the following.

y y<0 0<y<2 2<y

f (y) f (y) > 0 f (y) > 0 f (y) < 0

In addition, we see that when

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 • y < 0: y 0 > 0, so y is increasing. The more negative y is, the larger y 0 is and the
faster y is increasing.
• 0 < y < 2: y 0 > 0, so y is increasing. If y is near 0, y 0 is small and positive, so y
is increasing slowly. As y gets closer to 2, then y 0 gets smaller and the slope of the
solution curve decreases (so y is again increasing slowly). Therefore, we know that
there is an inflection point for some 0 < y < 2. To determine the inflection point,
we need to find y 00 , which is just f 0 (y)y 0 , and set it equal to 0. Since

f 0 (y) = 2y(2 − y) − y 2 = 4y − 3y 2 ,

we see that
y 00 = (4y − 3y 2 )y 2 (2 − y).
Set this equal to 0:

0 = y 00 = (4y − 3y 2 )y 2 (2 − y) = (4 − 3y)y 3 (2 − y)
=⇒ 0 = 4 − 3y, 0 = y 3 , 0 = 2 − y.

Since y 3 = 0 and 2 − y = 0 give us the equilibrium solutions, we need only solve

4 − 3y = 0, giving
4
y=
3
• y > 2: y 0 < 0, so y is decreasing. As y gets larger, y 0 gets smaller and y approaches
y = 2.
A sketch of a few solution curves is below.

3. Find an autonomous first order differential equation that has the specified properties.

(a) A differential equation with

• equilibrium solutions at y = 0 and y = 2;
• y 0 < 0 for −∞ < y < 0; and

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 • y 0 > 0 for 0 < y < 2 and 2 < y < ∞.
(b) A differential equation with no equilibrium solutions and y 0 > 0 for all y.

Solution:

(a) Since the equilibrium solutions are y = 0 and y = 2,

f (y) = cy a (y − 2)b ,

where c is a constant to be determined. Since y 0 > 0 for 0 < y < 2 and 2 < y < ∞,
we know that b must be even, so one solution is given by letting b = 2. Since y 0 < 0
for −∞ < y < 0, we know that c > 0 if a is odd; so for example, c = 1 and a = 1
will work. Choosing a = 1 gives f (y) = y(y − 2)2 . We can easily verify that this
equation satisfies the required conditions. An alternate solution would be to let a = 2
(or some even number), in which case c < 0 is needed. So a second solution would have
f (y) = −y 2 (y − 2)2 .
Summary: Two possible solutions are y 0 = y(y − 2)2 and y 0 = −y 2 (y − 2)2 .
(b) Since there are no equilibrium solutions, the right-hand side must be a product of func-
tions of y that have no roots. Since y 0 > 0 for all y, one possible solution is y 0 = c,
where c > 0. An example would be y 0 = 2. This is not too interesting, however. A more
interesting example would be to consider a function of y that is defined for all y and has
no zeros. There are a number of possibilities. Below are a few examples.
• y0 = y2 + 1
1
• y0 = 2
y +1
• y 0 = ey

4. Consider the equation

t et
y0 + y = .
t2 − 1 t−3
What is the largest interval on which the Existence and Uniqueness Theorem for linear first
order equations guarantees the existence of a unique solution for

(a) y(5) = 2
 
3
(b) y − =1
2
(c) y(0) = 0
(d) y(−4) = 4
t t
Solution: We see that p(t) = = , which is continuous on the intervals
t2 −1 (t − 1)(t + 1)
et
(−∞, −1), (−1, 1), and (1, ∞); and f (t) = is continuous on (−∞, 3) and (3, ∞). There-
t−3
fore, (−∞, −1), (−1, 1), (1, 3), and (3, ∞) are the only possible intervals of existence, and so
we have

(a) t0 = 5 ∈ (3, ∞) so (3, ∞) is the largest such interval;

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(b) t0 = − ∈ (−∞, −1), so (−∞, −1) is the largest such interval;
2
(c) t0 = 0 ∈ (−1, 1) so (−1, 1) is the largest such interval;
(d) t0 = −4 ∈ (−∞, −1), so (−∞, −1) is the largest such interval.

5. Consider the initial value problem

ty 0 − 4y = 6t6 , y(1) = 2.

(a) Determine the largest interval on which the Existence and Uniqueness Theorem for linear
first order equations guarantees the existence of a unique solution.
(b) Determine the solution on this interval.
(c) What is the actual interval of existence for the solution? Does this contradict the
Existence and Uniqueness Theorem? Why or why not?

Solution:

(a) Rewriting the equation as

4
y 0 − y = 6t5 ,
t
4
we see that p(t) = − and f (t) = 6t5 . Then p(t) is continuous on (−∞, 0) and (0, ∞)
t
and f (t) is continuous on R. Since t0 = 1, the largest interval of existence guaranteed
by the theorem is (0, ∞).
(b) This is a linear equation, so first find the integrating factor
− 4t dt
R
µ(t) = e = t−4 .

Multiply by µ(t), giving

t−4 y 0 − 4t−5 y = 6t
d −4

t y = 6t
Z dt Z
d −4

t y dt = 6t dt
dt
t−4 y = 3t2 + c (c ∈ R)
y(t) = 3t2 + c t4 .

Find c using the initial condition.

2 = y(1) = 3(1)2 + c (1)4

c = −1.

Therefore,
y(t) = 3t2 − 1 t4 .

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 (c) The actual interval of existence is (−∞, ∞). This does not contradict the Existence
and Uniqueness Theorem, because the theorem only gives the guaranteed interval of
existence of a unique solution. This does not exclude the possibility that the actual
interval of existence of a solution can be larger.

6. Section 2.1: 36 Solve the initial value problem

(x2 − 1)y 0 − 2xy = x(x2 − 1), y(0) = 4.

Solution: First, we need to determine the expected interval of existence. Rewrite the DE:
2x
y0 − y = x.
x2 −1
2x
Then p(x) = − , which is continuous for (−∞, −1), (−1, 1), (1, ∞), and f (x) = x, which
x2 −1
is continuous for all x. Therefore, since x0 = 0 ∈ (−1, 1), a unique solution is guaranteed to
exist on (−1, 1).

• General solution: The integrating factor is

R
− 2x
x2 −1
dx 1
µ(x) = e = .
x2 −1
Multiplying both sides by µ(x) gives
1 2x x
y0 − 2 y= 2
x2 − 1 (x − 1)2 x −1
 
d y x
2
= 2
dx x − 1 x −1
Z   Z
d y 1x
dx = dx
dx x2 − 1 x2 − 1
y 1
2
= ln |x2 − 1| + c (c ∈ R)
x −1 2
1
y(x) = (x2 − 1) ln |x2 − 1| + c(x2 − 1).
2
• Find c:
1
4 = y(0) = (−1) ln | − 1| + c(−1) =⇒ c = −4
2
Therefore, the solution to the IVP is

1
y(x) = (x2 − 1)(ln |x2 − 1| − 4) x ∈ (−1, 1).
2

7. Assume that all functions in the following are defined on a common interval (a, b).

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 (a) Show directly that if y1 and y2 are solutions of the nonhomogeneous equation

y 0 + p(x)y = f (x), (1)

then y1 − y2 is a solution of the homogeneous equation

y 0 + p(x)y = 0. (2)

(b) Show directly that if y1 solves (1) and y2 solves (2), then y1 + y2 solves (1).

Solution:

(a) Since y1 and y2 solve y 0 + p(x)y = f (x), we see that

y10 + p(x)y1 = f (x) and y20 + p(x)y2 = f (x).

Therefore,

(y1 − y2 )0 + p(x)(y1 − y2 ) = y10 − y20 + p(x)y1 − p(x)y2

= y10 + p(x)y1 − (y20 + p(x)y2 )
= f (x) − f (x) = 0.

Therefore, y1 − y2 solves the homogeneous equation y 0 + p(x)y = 0.

(b) Since y1 solves y 0 + p(x)y = f (x), y10 + p(x)y1 = f (x). Since y2 solves y 0 + p(x)y = 0,
y20 + p(x)y2 = 0. Therefore, we have

(y1 + y2 )0 + p(x)(y1 + y2 ) = y10 + y20 + p(x)y1 + p(x)y2

= y10 + p(x)y1 + y20 + p(x)y2
= f (x) + 0 = f (x).

Therefore, y1 + y2 solves y 0 + p(x)y = f (x).

8. Solve the initial value problem

dy p
= 9 − y 2 , y(0) = 0.
dt
For what values of t does the solution exist?
Solution: This is an autonomous DE and so we first find the equilibrium solutions.
p
0 = 9 − y 2 =⇒ y = ±3.

Next, we see that this DE only makes sense if 9 − y 2 ≥ 0, or ifp−3 ≤ y ≤ 3. Iin order to
do separation of variables, we will need to divide both sides by 9 − y 2 , which can only be
done if 9 − y 2 > 0, or −3 < y < 3. So, suppose that there is a solution for which −3 < y < 3.
Then we have
y0
p = 1.
9 − y2

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 Integrating both sides with respect to t gives
Z Z
1 dy
p dt = 1 dt
9 − y 2 dt
y 
sin−1 = t + c (c ∈ R).
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Applying the initial condition y(0) = 0 gives c = 0, so we have
y 
sin−1 = t.
3
π π
The range of sin−1 (·) is − ≤ θ ≤ , so the solution is
2 2
π π
y(t) = 3 sin(t), − ≤ t ≤ .
2 2
Notice that
 π
• y − = −3 and
 π 2
• y = 3,
2
both of which are equilibrium solutions. Therefore, the solution of the IVP is

−3,
 t < − π2
y(t) = 3 sin(t), − π2 ≤ t ≤ π
2
.

3, t > π2


We see that the solution exists for all t.

9. Solve the initial value problem below and find the interval of validity of the solution.

ey y 0 = 1 − ey , y(2) = 0.

Solution: This equation is separable, and we can write it as

1 − ey
y0 = .
ey
This equation is defined for all x and all y.
The equilibrium solution is found by setting y 0 = 0 and solving for y, giving 1 − ey = 0, or
ey = 1. Therefore, y = 0 is an equilibrium solution.
To find a general solution of the problem, we need to divide both sides by 1−ey , which cannot
be done if y = 0 (which is our initial condition and an equilibrium solution).
However, since y = 0 is an equilibrium solution, we know that if y(2) = 0, then y = 0 for all
x. Therefore, the solution to the IVP is

y(x) = 0.

The solution is valid for all x, so the interval of validity is (−∞, ∞).

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10. For what values of the constants α, y0 , and the integer n is the function y(t) = a
5 + t4
solution of the initial value problem

y 0 + αtn y 2 = 0, y(1) = y0 ?

Solution: We need to plug y(t) into the DE to determine α and n. We have

24t3
y 0 (t) = − ,
(5 + t4 )2
so

0 = y 0 + αtn y 2
24t3
 
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=− + αtn
(5 + t4 )2 5 + t4
24t3 + 36αtn
=− .
(5 + t4 )2

Since 5 + t4 > 0 for all t, we have

0 = −24t3 + 36αtn .

For the right-hand side to be 0 for all t requires:

• n = 3; and
• −24 + 36α = 0.
2
So, α = .
3
We find y0 by evaluating y(1), giving
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y0 = y(1) = = 1.
5 + 14

2
Answer: α = , n = 3, y0 = 1.
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