3.6 KiB
We know how to solve second order equations where a, b, c are constants. Even if they're not constant some can be expressed as a linear equation. But not always will they be solvable. However, there is one class of second order equations with non constant coefficients that are always solvable.
Cauchy-Euler equations
If it has a name in it, its very important, if it has 2 names, its very very important! #cauchy-euler equations are equations in the form:
ax^2{\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}+bx{\frac{ dy }{ dx }}+cy=f(x)},\ x>0
where a,\ b,\ c
are still constants and \in \mathbb{R}
Note: x=0 is not interesting as the derivative terms disappear.
How to solve? There are two approaches:
Textbook only use 2nd method, prof doesn't like this. You can find both methods in the profs notes. Btw, do you know Stewart? Multimillionaire, he's living in a mansion in Ontario.
introduce change of variables:
x=e^t\Rightarrow t=\ln x
(x is always +)
(do x=-e^t
if you need it to be negative.)
find derivatives with respect to t now. y is a function of t which is a function of x.
\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{dy}{dt}{\frac{dt}{dx}}=\frac{ dy }{ dt }{\frac{1}{x}}\Rightarrow \underset{ \text{Important} }{ x\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{dy}{dt} }
compute 2nd derivative of y wrt to x:
\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}=\frac{d^2y}{dt^2} \frac{dt}{dx}\cdot \frac{dt}{dx}+\frac{dy}{dt}{\frac{d^2t}{dx^2}}=\frac{1}{x^2}{\frac{d^2y}{dt^2}}-\frac{\frac{1}{x^2}dy}{dt}
\underset{ \text{Important} }{ x^2{\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}}=\frac{d^2y}{dt^2}-\frac{dy}{dt} }
plugging those derivatives in we get: #remember
a\frac{d^2y}{dt^2}+(b-a){\frac{dy}{dt}}+cy(t)=f(e^t)
^ this is a constant coefficient second order non-homogenous equation now! We can solve it now using prior tools.
Example:
#ex #second_order #second_order_nonhomogenous #cauchy-euler Find the general solution for:
x^2{\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}}+3x{\frac{dy}{dx}}+y=x^{-1},\ x>0
substitute: x=e^t
transform using the technique we showed just earlier:
\frac{d^2y}{dt^2}+2{\frac{dy}{dt}}+y=e^{-t}
r^2-2r+1=0
r_{1,2}=-1
y_{h}(t)=c_{1}e^{-t}+c_{2}te^{-t}
y_{p}(t)=At^2e^{-t}
<- using method of undetermined coefficientsA=\frac{1}{2}
general solution in terms of t:y(t)=c_{1}e^{-t}+c_{2}te^{-t}+\frac{1}{2}t^2e^{-t}
but we want solution in terms of x:y(x)=c_{1}e^{-\ln(x)}+c_{2}\ln(x)e^{-\ln(x)}+\frac{1}{2}\ln(x)^2e^{-\ln(x)}
<- This is rather lousy notation, the y here isn't the same as the y above. Conceptually though, it's all oke doke.
y(x)=c_{1}x^{-1}+c_{2}\ln(x)x^{-1}+\frac{1}{2}{\ln(x)^2}x^{-1}
We are done. #end of lecture 10 #start of lecture 11
Last lecture we did Cauchy Euler equations:
ax^2{\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}+bx{\frac{ dy }{ dx }}+cy=f(x)} \qquad x>0
where a,\ b,\ c
are constants and \in \mathbb{R}
substitute x=e^t
a{\frac{d^2y}{dt^2}}+(b-a){\frac{dy}{dt}}+cy=f(e^t)
<- lousy notation, the y here isn't quite the same as in the above definition.
substitute: y=x^r
after calculating derivatives, plugging in, and simplifying we obtain the polynomial equation:
ar^2+(b-a)r+C=0
Three cases:
(i) r_1\ne r_{2}
then:
y_{h}(t)=c_{1}e^{rt}+c_{2}e^{rt}
y_{h}(x)=c_{1}x^{r_{1}}+c_{2}x^{r_{2}}
(lousy notation, because the two y_{h}
do not equal each other)
(ii) r_{1}=r_{2}=r
then:
y_{h}(t)=c_{1}e^{rt}+c_{2}te^{rt}
y_{h}(x)=c_{1}x^r+c_{2}x^r\ln(x)
(derived by reduction of order.)
(iii) r_{1,2}=\alpha\pm i\beta
then:
y_{h}=e^\alpha(c_{1}\cos(\beta t)+c_{2}\sin(\beta t))
y_{h}(x)=x^\alpha(c_{1}\cos(\beta\ln x)+c_{2}\sin(\beta \ln x))
Now compute your particular solution, y_{p}
, and combine with y_{h}
to obtain your general solution.