Differential Equations Practice Problems: Math 116

Differential Equations Practice Problems
Math 116
Part I
First order DE’s:
1) §8.5 #2
2) §8.5 #3
3) §8.5 #5
4) §8.5 #14
Second order homogeneous DE’s:

5) §8.14 #1
6) §8.14 #2
7) §8.14 #5
8) §8.14 #7
9) §8.14 #10
10) §8.14 #10
11) §8.14 #11

12) §8.14 #14
Second order non-homogeneous DE’s:
13) §8.17 # 1
14) §8.17 # 12
15) §8.17 # 15
1
Part II
Recall Newton’s Second Law:
2
d ~x
F~net = m 2 (1)
dt
where ~x is a particle’s position vector, and F~net is the sum of forces on the particle. In this
section, we consider 1-dimensional motion, so the position and force vector-value functions
can be regarded as just ordinary funcitons:
d2 x
Fnet = m (2)
dt2
We consider the case where the force is given by a combination of Hooke’s law:
Fspring = −kx (3)
where k is the spring constant, a damping force (aka friction):
dx
Fdamp = −c (4)
dt
where c is the coefficient of dynamic friction, and some other external force Fext (t) that
depends on time.
q
c k 1
16) Set p = 2m and ω0 = m , and F (t) = m Fext (t). Show that the particle’s position x
obeys the second order linear constant coefficient nonhomogeneous differential equation
ẍ + 2 p ẋ + ω02 x = F (t). (5)
Equation (5) is the standard form for a damped harmonic oscillator.
The function F (t) is called the forcing function. In the following problems we consider the
unforced case: F (t) = 0.
17) Given p = 5, ω0 = 1 find the solution for x(0) = 0, ẋ(0) = 1.
18) Given p = 1, ω0 = 5 find the solution for x(0) = 0, ẋ(0) = 1.

19) (Undamped Case) Given p = 0 and F (t) = 0 (unknown ω0 ), find the general solution
to (5). Explain why ω0 is called the undamped natural frequency.
p
20) (Underdampled Case) Assume p < ω0 . Set ω1 = ω02 − p2 , and prove that the general
solution is
x(t) = c1 e−pt cos(ω1 t) + c2 e−pt sin(ω1 t) (6)
Explain why ω1 is called the damped natural frequency. What happens as the damping
constant decreases to zero?
21) (Overdamped Case) If p > ω0 , prove that the general solution is a linear combination
of two decaying exponentials.
22) (Critically Damped Case) Assume p = ω0 , and show the general solution is a linear
combination of e−pt and te−pt .
2
Now we consider the case of a forced harmonic oscillator, where the forcing function is
sinusoidal:
F (t) = cos(ωt). (7)
The constant ω is called the forcing frequency.

23) Given F (t) = cos(ωt), what is your “guess” for the particular solution xp (t)?
24) From the mathematics, we know the general solution x(t) = xc (t) + xp (t) is the sum of
the complementary and particular solutions. In a physical context, the complimentary
solution is called the transient solution and the particular solution is called the steady-
state solution. Explain, in a precise way, why this terminology makes sense.
25) From √Problem (24) the correct “guess” is xp (t) = A cos(ωt) + B sin(ωt). Given p = 1,
ω0 = 10, and forcing frequency 2, determine the general solution. Then determine
the solution when the oscillator is starting from rest: x(0) = ẋ(0) = 0.
26) Referring to Problem (25), make a plot of the transient solution, and make a separate
plot of the steady-state solution.
3
Part III (optional; won’t be on final)
A general first order equation can be written in the form
y 0 = F (y, t). (8)
Most differential equations cannot be solved in closed form; for instance
y 0 = y 2 + t2 (9)
has a solution, but it is impossible to write it down in terms of elementary functions (although
you could solve it using Taylor series methods). Given a DE that you can’t solve by hand,
how do you know if a solution even exists?
Theorem 3.1 (Existence) The differential equation
y 0 = F (y, t) (10)
has at least one solution with initial conditions y(t0 ) = y0 provided the function F (y, t) is
continuous with respect to y at (y0 , t0 ). Further, the solution is continuous, and continues so
long as F (y, t) remains to be continuous with respect to y, and y(t) does not approach ±∞.
Theorem 3.2 (Uniqueness) The differential equation
y 0 = F (y, t) (11)
has one and only one solution with initial conditions y(t0 ) = y0 provided both F (y, t) and
∂F
∂y are continuous with respect to y at (y0 , t0 ). Further, the solution is continuous, and
continues uniquely so long as F (y, t) and ∂F
∂y (y, t) remain continuous with respect to y, and
y(t) does not approach ±∞.
The proofs go beyond the scope of this class, but are proved in Math 361.
27) Consider the following equation:
2
y0 = 3 y 3 . (12)
Show that y(t) = 0 and y(t) = t3 both solve (12) with initial condition y(0) = 0.
y
28) Prove directly that the differential equation y 0 = t has no solution with initial condi-
tion y(0) = 1.
29) Prove that y 0 = y 2 , with initial condition y(0) = 1 cannot be continued indefinitely. If
the initial condition is y(0) = −1, show that the solution exists for all time t ≥ 0.
30) Determine for which initial conditions the following DE’s have unique solutions:
a) y 0 = ty −1
b) y 0 = sgn(t − 1)
c) y 0 = sgn(y − 1)
1
d) y 0 = y 3
1
e) y 0 = y − 3
f) y 0 = sgn(sin(πy))
g) y 0 = csc(y)
4
31) Consider the two DE’s y 0 = y and y 0 = −y, with initial conditions y(0) = 1 (obviously
the solutions are y = et and y = e−t , respectively, but for now pretend we don’t know
this). In either case, show that if some t1 exists where y(t1 ) = 0, then in fact y = 0
for all t, contradicting the fact that the initial condition was y(0) = 1.
32) Use your result from Problem (31) to show that et is positive for all t.
33) Show that et is continuously differentiable for all t. Prove that et is infinitely continu-
ously differentiable for all t. Prove that et is convex.

Differential Equations Practice Problems: Math 116

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Differential Equations Practice Problems: Math 116

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Differential Equations Practice Problems

Second order homogeneous DE’s:

11) §8.14 #11

Fspring = −kx (3)

where k is the spring constant, a damping force (aka friction):

ẍ + 2 p ẋ + ω02 x = F (t). (5)

Equation (5) is the standard form for a damped harmonic oscillator.

18) Given p = 1, ω0 = 5 find the solution for x(0) = 0, ẋ(0) = 1.

x(t) = c1 e−pt cos(ω1 t) + c2 e−pt sin(ω1 t) (6)

F (t) = cos(ωt). (7)

The constant ω is called the forcing frequency.

y 0 = F (y, t). (8)

Most differential equations cannot be solved in closed form; for instance

Theorem 3.2 (Uniqueness) The differential equation

You might also like