Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 3.

6 - Problem 14 Page 1 of 3

Problem 14
In each of Problems 13 through 20, verify that the given functions y1 and y2 satisfy the
corresponding homogeneous equation; then find a particular solution of the given
nonhomogeneous equation. In Problems 19 and 20, g is an arbitrary continuous function.

t2 y 00 − t(t + 2)y 0 + (t + 2)y = 2t3 , t > 0; y1 (t) = t, y2 (t) = tet

Solution

Verify that the first solution satisfies the associated homogeneous equation.
?
t2 y100 − t(t + 2)y10 + (t + 2)y1 = 0

?
t2 (t)00 − t(t + 2)(t)0 + (t + 2)(t) = 0
?
−t(t + 2)(1) + (t + 2)(t) = 0

0=0
Now verify that the second solution satisfies the associated homogeneous equation.
?
t2 y200 − t(t + 2)y20 + (t + 2)y2 = 0

?
t2 (tet )00 − t(t + 2)(tet )0 + (t + 2)(tet ) = 0
?
t2 (et + tet )0 − t(t + 2)(et + tet ) + (t + 2)(tet ) = 0
?
t2 (et + et + tet ) − tet (t + 2) − t2 et (t + 2) + tet (t + 2) = 0
?
2t2 et + t3 et − tet (t + 2) − t3 et − 2t2 et + tet (t + 2) = 0

0=0
Because the ODE is linear, the general solution can be expressed as a sum of the complementary
solution yc (t) and the particular solution yp (t).

y(t) = yc (t) + yp (t)

By the principle of superposition, yc (t) is a linear combination of y1 (t) and y2 (t).

yc (t) = C1 t + C2 tet

According to the method of variation of parameters, the particular solution is found by allowing
the parameters in yc (t) to vary.
yp (t) = C1 (t)t + C2 (t)tet
It satisfies the following ODE.

t2 yp00 − t(t + 2)yp0 + (t + 2)yp = 2t3

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Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 3.6 - Problem 14 Page 2 of 3

Substitute the previous formula for yp (t).

t2 [C1 (t)t + C2 (t)tet ]00 − t(t + 2)[C1 (t)t + C2 (t)tet ]0 + (t + 2)[C1 (t)t + C2 (t)tet ] = 2t3

Evaluate the derivatives.

t2 [C10 (t)t+C1 (t)+C20 (t)tet +C2 (t)et +C2 (t)tet ]0 −t(t+2)[C10 (t)t+C1 (t)+C20 (t)tet +C2 (t)et +C2 (t)tet ]
+ (t + 2)[C1 (t)t + C2 (t)tet ] = 2t3

t2 [C100 (t)t+C10 (t)+C10 (t)+C200 (t)tet +C20 (t)et +C20 (t)tet +C20 (t)et +C2 (t)et +C20 (t)tet +C2 (t)et +C2 (t)tet ]
− t(t + 2)[C10 (t)t + C1 (t) + C20 (t)tet + C2 (t)et + C2 (t)tet ]
+ (t + 2)[C1 (t)t + C2 (t)tet ] = 2t3

C100 (t)t3 +2t2 C10 (t)+C200 (t)t3 et +C20 (t)t2 et +C20 (t)t3 et +C20 (t)t2 et +C2 (t)t2 et +C20 (t)t3 et +C2 (t)t2 et +C2 (t)t3 et
−C10 (t)t3 −C1 (t)t2 −C20 (t)t3 et −C2 (t)t2 et −C2 (t)t3 et −2C10 (t)t2 −2C1 (t)t−2C20 (t)t2 et −2C2 (t)tet −2C2 (t)t2 et
+ C1 (t)t2 + C2 (t)t2 et + 2C1 (t)t + 2C2 (t)tet = 2t3

t3 C100 (t) − t3 C10 (t) + t3 et C200 (t) + t3 et C20 (t) = 2t3

Divide both sides by t3 .
C100 (t) − C10 (t) + et C200 (t) + et C20 (t) = 2
If we set
C100 (t) − C10 (t) = 0, (1)
then the previous equation reduces to

et C200 (t) + et C20 (t) = 2. (2)

The aim now is to solve this system of equations for C1 (t) and C2 (t). Use an integrating factor I1
to solve equation (1). ˆ t 
I1 = exp (−1) ds = e−t

Multiply both sides of equation (1) by I1 .

e−t C100 (t) − e−t C10 (t) = 0

The left side can be written as d/dt[I1 C10 (t)] by the product rule.

d −t 0
[e C1 (t)] = 0
dt
Integrate both sides with respect to t, setting the integration constant to zero.

e−t C10 (t) = 0

Multiply both sides by et .

C10 (t) = 0

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Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 3.6 - Problem 14 Page 3 of 3

Integrate both sides with respect to t once more, setting the integration constant to zero.
C1 (t) = 0
Divide both sides of equation (2) by et .
C200 (t) + C20 (t) = 2e−t
Use an integrating factor I2 to solve it.
ˆ t 
I2 = exp ds = et

Multiply both sides of the previous equation by I2 .

et C200 (t) + et C20 (t) = 2
The left side can be written as d/dt[I2 C20 (t)] by the product rule.
d t 0
[e C2 (t)] = 2
dt
Integrate both sides with respect to t, setting the integration constant to zero.
et C20 (t) = 2t
Divide both sides by et .
C20 (t) = 2te−t
Integrate both sides with respect to t once more, setting the integration constant to zero.
ˆ t
C2 (t) = 2se−s ds
ˆ t
d
=2 s (−e−s ) ds
ds
 ˆ t 
−s t −s

= 2 s(−e ) − (1)(−e ) ds
 ˆ t 
= 2 t(−e−t ) + e−s ds

= 2(−te−t − e−t )
= −2e−t (t + 1)
The particular solution is then
yp (t) = C1 (t)y1 (t) + C2 (t)y2 (t)
= C1 (t)t + C2 (t)tet
= −2t(t + 1)
= −2t2 − 2t.
Therefore, the general solution is
y(t) = C1 t + C2 tet − 2t2 − 2t
= (C1 − 2)t + C2 tet − 2t2
= C3 t + C2 tet − 2t2 ,
where a new constant C3 was used for C1 − 2.

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