Chapter 9: Problem 4
Find the general solution. $$ 2 y^{\prime \prime \prime}+3 y^{\prime \prime}-2 y^{\prime}-3 y=0 $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
Answer: The general solution is y(t) = C₁e^t + C₂ + C₃e^(-3/2)t, where C₁, C₂, and C₃ are constants.
Step by step solution
01
Write down the characteristic equation
Based on the given differential equation, the characteristic equation is:
$$
2r^3 + 3r^2 - 2r - 3 = 0
$$
02
Find the roots of the characteristic equation
We need a numerical or an analytical method to find the roots of the cubic equation above. In this case, we can first try factoring by grouping:
$$
r(2r^2 + 3r) - 1(2r^2 + 3r) = 0
$$
This gives us:
$$
(r-1)(2r^2 + 3r) = 0
$$
Now, we can see that one of the roots is r = 1. To find the remaining roots, we need to solve the quadratic equation:
$$
2r^2 + 3r = 0
$$
We can factor out r to get:
$$
r(2r + 3) = 0
$$
This gives us the remaining roots: r = 0 and r = -3/2.
03
Write down the general solution
Based on the roots found in Step 2, the general solution to the given differential equation is a linear combination of the basis functions:
$$
y(t) = C_1 e^{1t} + C_2 e^{0t} + C_3 e^{-\frac{3}{2}t}
$$
Simplifying the expression, we get:
$$
y(t) = C_1 e^t + C_2 + C_3 e^{-\frac{3}{2}t}
$$
This is the general solution to the given third-order linear homogeneous differential equation.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Characteristic Equation
When solving a linear homogeneous differential equation, a key step involves forming what is known as the characteristic equation. This algebraic equation stems from the technique of assuming a solution of the form \( e^{rt} \) , where \( r \) is a constant to be determined.
In the given problem, the differential equation \( 2y^{\text{IV}} + 3y^{\text{III}} - 2y' - 3y = 0 \) is used to create the characteristic equation by replacing each term with a corresponding power of \( r \) , under the assumption that \( y = e^{rt} \) . This leads to a cubic characteristic equation \( 2r^3 + 3r^2 - 2r - 3 = 0 \) . Solving this equation will yield the roots, which are the key to finding the solution to the original differential equation.
Finding the characteristic equation is analogous to transforming a dynamic, functional problem into a static, algebraic one, making it one of the most critical steps in the process.
In the given problem, the differential equation \( 2y^{\text{IV}} + 3y^{\text{III}} - 2y' - 3y = 0 \) is used to create the characteristic equation by replacing each term with a corresponding power of \( r \) , under the assumption that \( y = e^{rt} \) . This leads to a cubic characteristic equation \( 2r^3 + 3r^2 - 2r - 3 = 0 \) . Solving this equation will yield the roots, which are the key to finding the solution to the original differential equation.
Finding the characteristic equation is analogous to transforming a dynamic, functional problem into a static, algebraic one, making it one of the most critical steps in the process.
Roots of the Equation
After determining the characteristic equation, the next pivotal task is finding the roots of the equation, which represent the solutions to the algebraic characteristic equation. For the equation \( 2r^3 + 3r^2 - 2r - 3 = 0 \) , we look for values of \( r \) that satisfy the equation, effectively setting the entire expression to zero.
The process often involves algebraic manipulation, such as factoring by grouping as demonstrated in the exercise. Once the characteristic equation has been factored into products of simpler polynomial expressions, it becomes apparent that setting each factor to zero will yield the roots. In the given example, the factored form reveals one clear root, \( r = 1 \) , and a quadratic factor that provides the other roots \( r = 0 \) and \( r = -\frac{3}{2} \) . The roots have a profound influence on the behavior of the solution curve of the differential equation and dictate the form of the general solution.
The process often involves algebraic manipulation, such as factoring by grouping as demonstrated in the exercise. Once the characteristic equation has been factored into products of simpler polynomial expressions, it becomes apparent that setting each factor to zero will yield the roots. In the given example, the factored form reveals one clear root, \( r = 1 \) , and a quadratic factor that provides the other roots \( r = 0 \) and \( r = -\frac{3}{2} \) . The roots have a profound influence on the behavior of the solution curve of the differential equation and dictate the form of the general solution.
General Solution
With the roots in hand, we formulate the general solution of the original differential equation. The general solution is a summation of terms, each term associated with one of the roots from the characteristic equation.
In this context, for each real root \( r \) , we have a term \( C_{i} e^{rt} \) , where \( C_{i} \) is an arbitrary constant. Particularly for the equation \( 2y^{\text{IV}} + 3y^{\text{III}} - 2y' - 3y = 0 \) , the roots found are \( 1, 0, \text{and} -\frac{3}{2} \) . The general solution is thereby composed of exponential functions that correspond to each root, leading to the final form \( y(t) = C_1 e^t + C_2 + C_3 e^{-\frac{3}{2}t} \) . Each term of this solution represents a possible mode of the dynamic system described by the differential equation, and the constants provide the flexibility to fit specific initial conditions or boundary requirements imposed by a particular problem.
In this context, for each real root \( r \) , we have a term \( C_{i} e^{rt} \) , where \( C_{i} \) is an arbitrary constant. Particularly for the equation \( 2y^{\text{IV}} + 3y^{\text{III}} - 2y' - 3y = 0 \) , the roots found are \( 1, 0, \text{and} -\frac{3}{2} \) . The general solution is thereby composed of exponential functions that correspond to each root, leading to the final form \( y(t) = C_1 e^t + C_2 + C_3 e^{-\frac{3}{2}t} \) . Each term of this solution represents a possible mode of the dynamic system described by the differential equation, and the constants provide the flexibility to fit specific initial conditions or boundary requirements imposed by a particular problem.