Discrete Mathematics Aug 13, 2014

Lecture 6: Recurrence Relation Continued

Instructor: Sushmita Ruj Scribe: Ilias Hossain Sarkar, Arghya Bhattacharjee

1 Particular Solution
Consider the equation
an + 5an−1 + 6an−2 = 3n2 (1)
Assume that the particular solution is of the form

P1 n2 + P2 n + P3 (2)

From (1) and (2) we get

P1 n2 + P2 n + P3 + 5P1 (n − 1)2 + 5P2 (n − 1) + 5P3 + 6P1 (n − 2)2 + 6P2 (n − 2)

+6P3 = 3n2

or

(P1 + 5P1 + 6P1 )n2 + (P2 − 10P1 + 5P2 − 24P1 + 6P2 )n+
(P3 + 5P1 − 5P2 + 5P3 + 24P1 − 12P2 + 6P3 ) = 3n2 (3)

Equating coefficients of n2 , n and constant term in equation (3), we get

1 17 115
P1 = , P2 = , P3 =
4 24 288
So the particular solution is
1 2 17 115
a(P )
n = n + n+
4 24 288
General case: Consider the recurrence relation

C0 an + C1 an−1 + ... + Ck an−k = f (n)

If f(n) is of the form of a polynomial of degree t in n

F1 nt + F2 nt−1 + ... + Ft+1

then the particular solution of the equation is of the form

P1 nt + P2 nt−1 + ... + Pt+1

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Example 1.1 Consider the difference equation

an + 5an−1 + 6an−2 = 3n2 − 3n + 1 (4)

Particular solution of the above equation is of the form

an = P1 n2 + P2 n + P3 (5)

From (4) and (5) we get

P1 n2 + P2 n + P3 + 5P1 (n − 1)2 + 5P2 (n − 1) + 5P3 + 6P1 (n − 2)2

+6P2 (n − 2) + 6P3 = 3n2 − 3n + 1

or

(P1 + 5P1 + 6P1 )n2 + (P2 − 10P1 + 5P2 − 24P1 + 6P2 )n

+ (P3 + 5P1 − 5P2 + 5P3 + 24P1 − 12P2 + 6P3 ) = 3n2 − 3n + 1 (6)

Equating coefficients of n2 , n and constant term in equation (6), we get

1 11 325
P1 = , P2 = , P3 =
4 24 288
So the particular solution is
1 2 11 325
a(P )
n = n + n+
4 24 288
Example 1.2 Consider the equation

an + 5an−1 + 6an−2 = 42.4n (7)

Particular solution of the above equation is of the form P 4n .

Here the coefficient of 4n is 4, which is not equal to any character root’s absolute value 2
or 3. From the form of the particular solution and (7) we get

P 4n + 5P 4n−1 + 6P 4n−2 = 42(4)n

or
5 6
(1 ++ )P 4n = 42(4)n (8)
4 16
n
Equating coefficients of 4 in equation (8), we get

P = 16

So the particular solution is

an(P ) = 16(4)n

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General form :
1. If f (n) is of the form β n , then the corresponding particular solution is of the form
P β n , provided β and −β is not root of the characteristic equation.
2. If f (n) is of the form
(F1 nt + F2 nt−1 + ... + Ft+1 )β n
then the corresponding particular solution is of the form
(P1 nt + P2 nt−1 + ... + Pt+1 )β n
provided β and −β is not root of the characteristic equation.
Example 1.3 Consider the equation
an + an−1 = 3n2n (9)
Assume that the particular solution is of the form
(P1 n + P2 )2n (10)
From (9) and (10) we get
(P1 n + P2 )2n + (P1 (n − 1) + P2 )2n−1 = 3n2n
or
P2 P2 − P1
(P1 + )n2n + (P2 + ) = 3n2n (11)
2 2
Equating coefficients of n2n , 2n and constant term in equation (11), we get
P1 = 3, P2 = 1
So the particular solution is
(3n + 1)2n

3. If β is characteristic root of multiplicity m and f (n) is of the form

(F1 nt + F2 nt−1 + ... + Ft+1 )β n
Then the particular solution is of the form
nm (P1 nt + P2 nt−1 + ... + Pt+1 )β n
Example 1.4 Consider the recurrence relation
an − 4an−1 + 4an−2 = (n + 1)2n
Here β = 2 and m = 2
So the particular solution is of the form
n2 (P1 n + P2 )2n

Example 1.5 Consider the recurrence relation

an − 5an−1 + 6an−2 = 2n + n
the particular solution is of the form
P1 2n n + P2 n + P3

6-3
2 Total Solution

For k th order difference equation, with k undetermined coefficients A1 , A2 ,..., Ak in

the homogeneous solution and boundary conditions a0 , a1 ,..., an−k+1 , suppose the
characteristic roots are all distinct. Then the total solution is

A1 α1n + A2 α2n + ... + Ak αkn + p(n)

where p(n) (particular solution) can be calculated as above. Then use boundary
conditions to find A1 , A2 ,..., An .

3 Recurrence Relation: Solution Using Generating Func-

tion

an = 3an−1 + 2 , for n >= 1 , boundary condition : a0 = 1

an Z n = 3an−1 Z n + 2Z n

∞
X ∞
X ∞
X
an Z n = 3 an−1 Z n + 2 Zn
n=1 n=1 n=1

∞
X
= 37 am Z m
m=0

Generating function :
A(Z) = a0 + a1 Z + a2 Z 2 + ...

2Z
∴ A(Z) − a0 = 3ZA(Z) + , |Z| < 1
1−Z
or

2Z
A(Z)(1 − 3Z) = +1
1−Z
or
2 1
A(Z) = −
1 − 3Z 1−Z
or

A(Z) = 2(1 + 3Z + 9Z 2 + ....) − (1 + Z + Z 2 + .....)

6-4
 or

A(Z) = (2.1 − 1) + (2.3 − 1)Z + (2.32 − 1)Z 2 + .....

Since

A(Z) = a0 + a1 Z + a2 Z 2 + .... + an Z n + ....

So the solution of the recurrence relation

an = 2.3n − 1

References :
1. A Course in Combinatorics: J. H. van Lint, R. M. Wilson
2. Applied combinatorics: Fred S.Roberts and B. Tesman

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