MATH323 2022 CLASS TEST SOLUTIONS

1. (Lecture, homework based question)

(a) Inserting y = xm

4x2 y ′′ + 17y = xm (4m(m − 1) + 17) = xm (4m2 − 4m + 17) = 0.

1 1
4m2 − 4m + 17 = 0, m1 = + 2i, m2 = − 2i.
2 2
The general solution is
1
y = x 2 [C1 cos(2 log x) + C2 sin(2 log x)] .
[3 marks]
From boundary conditions:

y(1) = −1 ⇒ C1 = −1.

1
y ′ (1) = − , ⇒ C2 = 0.
2
1
y = −x 2 cos(2 log x).
[2 marks]
1 1
Since |y| = | − x cos(2 log x)| ≤ x , the solution y → 0 as x → 0.
2 2 [1 mark]

(b) (3x − 1)y ′′ − (3x + 2)y ′ − (6x − 8)y = 0.

(i) Substituting y1 (x) = e2x into the differential equation
4(3x − 1) − 2(3x + 2) − (6x − 8) = 0. [1 mark]
(ii) For the second linearly independent solution substitute

y2 = z(x)e2x , y2′ = e2x (z ′ + 2z), y2′′ = e2x (z ′′ + 4z ′ + 4z).

(3x − 1)z ′′ + (9x − 6)z ′ = 0, z′ = w ,

(3x − 1)w′ + 3(3x − 2)w = 0,
dw 3(3x − 1 − 1)
=− dx,
w 3x − 1
dw 3dx
= −3dx + ,
w 3x − 1
log w = −3x + log(3x − 1),
w = (3x − 1)e−3x , [3 marks]
Z Z Z Z
−3x −3x −3x
z = 3xe dx − e dx = −xe + e dx − e−3x dx = −xe−3x ,
−3x

y2 = ze2x = −xe−x ,
yCF = C1 e2x + C2 xe−x .
[3 marks]

1
 (c) For the particaular solution of

(3x − 1)y ′′ − (3x + 2)y ′ − (6x − 8)y = (3x − 1)2 e2x ,

Using the variation of parameters formula

yp = L1 (x)y1 + L2 (x)y2 , y1 = e2x , y2 = xe−x

yp = L1 (x)e2x + L2 (x)xe−x .
For finding L1 (x) and L2 (x) we have to solve

(3x − 1)2 e2x

L′1 y1 + L′2 y2 = 0, L′1 y1′ + L′2 y2′ = .
(3x − 1)

(I) L′1 e2x + L′2 xe−x = 0,

(3x − 1)2 e2x
(II) 2L′1 e2x + L′2 (1 − x)e−x = ⇒
(3x − 1)
[2 marks]
From equation 2(I) − (II)

2L′2 xe−x − L′2 (1 − x)e−x = −(3x − 1)e2x ,

(3x − 1)e−x L′2 = −(3x − 1)e2x ,
L′2 = −e3x ,
1
L2 = − e3x .
3
y2
L′1 = −L′2 = x,
y1
x2
L1 = .
2
[2 marks]
The particular solution is
x2 x
 
2x −x 2x
yp = L1 (x)e + L2 (x)xe =e −
2 3
The general solution is
x2 x
 
2x −x 2x
y = C1 e + C2 xe +e − .
2 3
[1 marks]
From boundary conditions
y(0) = 1 ⇒ C1 = 1,
1
y ′ (0) = 2 ⇒ C2 = .
3
The solution is
x2 x x2 x
   
x x
y=e 2x
+ e−x + e2x − =e 2x
− + 1 + e−x .
3 2 3 2 3 3
[2 marks]

2
2. (Lecture, homework based question)
(a) (a) For the given functional
Z 2
′
 2 ′ 2 
J[y(x), y (x)] = x (y ) + y dx,
1
 
∂F d ∂F ∂F
= 2x2 y ′ , = 2x2 y ′′ + 4xy ′ , = 1.
∂y ′ dx ∂y ′ ∂y
The Euler-Lagrange equation is
2x2 y ′′ + 4xy ′ = 1,
The solution of the homogeneous equation

2x2 y ′′ + 4xy ′ = 0, y = xm

2m(m − 1) + 4m = 0, m(m + 1) = 0, ⇒ m1 = 0, m2 = −1,

C2
yCF = C1 + .
x
[3 marks]
For the particular integral
L2 (x)
yP = L1 (x) + ,
x
1
L′1 + L′2
= 0,
x
1 1
−L′2 2 = 2 ,
x 2x
1 1
L2 = − x, L1 = ln x.
2 2
ln x x 1 ln x 1
yP = − = − .
2 2x 2 2
General solution
C2 ln x 1
y = C1 + + − .
x 2 2
[3 marks]
From boundary conditions y(1) = 1, y(2) = 1
1
C1 + C2 − = 1,
2
C2 ln 2 1
C1 +
+ − = 1.
2 2 2
3
⇒ C1 = − ln 2, C2 = ln 2.
2
3 ln 2 ln x 1 ln 2 ln x
y= − ln 2 + + − = + + 1 − ln 2.
2 x 2 2 x 2
[1 marks]

3
 ∂F ∂ 2F
(b) F = x2 (y ′ )2 + y, = 2x2 y ′ , = 2x2 > 0.
∂y ′ ∂y ′2
The extremum is minimum. [2 marks]

(c)
For the functional with
F = x2 (y ′ )2 + 2y 2
The Euler-Lagrange equation is

2x2 y ′′ + 4xy ′ − 4y = 0, y = xm ,

2m(m − 1) + 4m − 4 = 0,
m2 + m − 2 = 0, m1 = −2, m2 = 1,
C2
y = C1 x + .
x2
1
From boundary conditions y(1) = 1, y(2) =
4
C2 1 1
C1 + C2 = 1, 2C1 + = , ⇒ C1 = 0, C2 = 1, y = .
4 4 x2
[7 marks]
(d)
  Z 2 Z 2"  2  2 #
1  2 ′ 2 2 1
x (y ) + 2y 2 dx = x2 − 3 + 2

I 2 = dx
x 1 1 x x2
Z 2  
dx 2 2 1 7
=6 4
= − 3 |1 = −2 − 1 = = 1.75.
1 x x 8 4
1
The straight line y = Ax + B passing through (1, 1) and (2, ) is
4
3 7
y =− x+
4 4
and Z 2  
2 9 2 2 35
I= x + (7 − 3x) dx = = 2.1875.
1 16 16 16
35 7 28 1
Since > = , y(x) = 2 leads to a minimum of I[y]. [4 marks]
16 4 16 x

4
(Lecture, homework based question)
3. Solution. (a)

q q
F = y, G = 1 + y , H = F − λG = y − λ 1 + y ′ 2 .
′ 2

H is independent of x, the Euler-Lagrange equation is

∂H
H − y′ = c1 = const.
∂y ′
1
2 1 2 −2 ′
⇒ y − λ(1 + y ′ ) 2 + y ′ λ(1 + y ′ ) y = c1
2 − 12 2 1
⇒ y − λ(1 + y ′ ) = c1 ⇒ y − c1 = λ(1 + y ′ )− 2 .
[4 marks]

z = y − c1 ,
 2
λ λ 2
⇒z= √ ⇒ − 1 = z′
1+z ′2 z
√
λ2 − z 2
Z Z
dz z
⇒ = ⇒ √ dz = dx = x − c2 .
dx z λ2 − z 2
z = λ cos θ, dz = −λ sin θdθ,
Z
(−λ sin θ)
x − c2 = λ cos θ dθ = −λ sin θ,
λ sin θ
x − c2 = −λ sin θ, y − c1 = λ cos θ
⇒ (x − c2 )2 + (y − c1 )2 = λ2 .
The solution is a segment of a circle of radius λ and length l = 3π. [4 marks]
From y(−3) = 0, y(3) = 0

(−3 − c2 )2 + c21 = λ2

(3 − c2 )2 + c21 = λ2 ⇒ c2 = 0, 9 + c21 = λ2

The solution becomes x = −λ sin θ, y − c1 = λ cos θ

⇒ x2 + (y − c1 )2 = 9 + c21 . (1)

p [3 marks]
2
Thus, the rope should take a shape of an arc of a circle with radius 9 + c1 centered at (0, c1 )
passing through (−3, 0) and (3, 0).
dx = −λ cos θdθ, dy = −λ sin θdθ
From constraint
Z 3q Z 3p Z θ p Z θ
′ 2 2 2 2 2
3π = 1 + y dx = dx + dy = λ sin θ + cos θdθ = λdθ.
−3 −3 −θ −θ
Z θ q
⇒ λdθ = 2λθ = 2θ 9 + c21 = 3π.
−θ

[2 marks]

5
Using one of the boundary conditions y(3) = 0

3 = −λ sin θ

3
−c1 = λ cos θ ⇒ tan θ = .
c1
3
q
2 9 + c21 tan−1 = 3 · π ⇒ c1 ≈ 0. (2)
c1
⇒ x2 + y 2 = 9.
The solution is an arc of a circle of radius 3 centred at the origin. [3 marks]

(b)Since l = 3π, the arc is a circumference of a semi-circle of radius 3. The area is A =

9π
≈ 14.1372. [2 marks]
2
A rectangle rope of the same length, (−3 ≤ a ≤ 3), 2a + 2h = 3π has the height h =
3π/2 − a = 3π/2 − 3 and hence the area of the rectangle is
 
3π π 
A1 = 2ah = 2 · 3 · − 3 = 18 − 1 ≈ 10.27 < A.
2 2

A = 14.1372 gives a maximum value. [2 marks]