Chapter 5: Problem 11
Let \(y^{\prime}+4 y=0\) a) Show that \(y=e^{-4 x}\) is a solution of this differential equation. b) Show that \(y=C e^{-4 x}\) is a solution, where \(C\) is a constant.
Short Answer
Expert verified
Both functions, \( y = e^{-4x} \) and \( y = Ce^{-4x} \), are solutions to the differential equation.
Step by step solution
01
Differentiate the given solution
Given the potential solution \(y = e^{-4x}\), we need to find \(y'\). To do this, differentiate \(y = e^{-4x}\) with respect to \(x\). Using the chain rule: \(y' = -4e^{-4x}\).
02
Substitute into the differential equation
Substitute \(y = e^{-4x}\) and \(y' = -4e^{-4x}\) into the differential equation \(y' + 4y = 0\). This gives:\[-4e^{-4x} + 4e^{-4x} = 0.\]
03
Simplify the equation
The equation simplifies to:\[0 = 0,\]confirming that the equation holds true. This verifies that \(y = e^{-4x}\) is indeed a solution to the differential equation \(y' + 4y = 0\).
04
Differentiate the general solution with constant
Consider the general solution \(y = Ce^{-4x}\), where \(C\) is a constant. Differentiate it with respect to \(x\) to get:\(y' = C(-4)e^{-4x} = -4Ce^{-4x}.\)
05
Substitute the general solution into the differential equation
Substitute \(y = Ce^{-4x}\) and \(y' = -4Ce^{-4x}\) into the differential equation:\(-4Ce^{-4x} + 4Ce^{-4x} = 0.\)
06
Verify the solution
The equation simplifies to:\[0 = 0,\]which confirms that \(y = Ce^{-4x}\) is a valid solution to the differential equation \(y' + 4y = 0\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Solution Verification
Solution verification involves checking whether a proposed function satisfies a given differential equation. To verify a solution, you'll often follow these steps:
- Differentiate the function: Calculate the derivative of the proposed solution. For instance, when given a function like \(y = e^{-4x}\), you find \(y' = -4e^{-4x}\) using differentiation rules.
- Substitute into the differential equation: Insert both the function and its derivative back into the original differential equation. For our exercise, the equation is \(y' + 4y = 0\).
- Check for equalities: Ensure that after substitution, the left-hand side and the right-hand side of the equation match. For instance, \(-4e^{-4x} + 4e^{-4x} = 0\) confirms the solution because it simplifies to \(0 = 0\).
Chain Rule
The chain rule is a fundamental concept in calculus used to differentiate compositions of functions. It's particularly handy when dealing with exponentials involving complex exponents.When differentiating a function like \(y = e^{-4x}\), the chain rule helps by acknowledging the inner function, which in this instance is \(-4x\). The chain rule states:\[\frac{d}{dx} [f(g(x))] = f'(g(x)) \cdot g'(x)\]For \(y = e^{-4x}\):
- Identify the outer function: For \(e^{-4x}\), the outer function is the exponential function \(e^u\), where \(u = -4x\).
- Differentiate the outer function: The derivative of \(e^u\) with respect to \(u\) is \(e^u\).
- Multiply by the derivative of the inner function: Since \(u = -4x\), its derivative is \(-4\). Thus, \(d/dx[e^{-4x}] = (-4)e^{-4x}\).
Exponential Functions
Exponential functions are pivotal in calculus, especially when solving differential equations where growth and decay are modeled. The form \(y = e^{kx}\), where \(k\) is a constant, is a typical example.Key properties of exponential functions include:
- Continuous Growth/Decay: Depending on the sign of \(k\), the function depicts exponential growth (\(k > 0\)) or decay (\(k < 0\)). In \(y = e^{-4x}\), the negative sign indicates a steadily decreasing function as \(x\) increases.
- Differentiation: The derivative of \(e^{kx}\) remains an exponential function, ##: \(\frac{d}{dx} [e^{kx}] = ke^{kx}\). This property is crucial for differential equations as it enables simple substitution.
- Smooth Curve and Domain: Exponential functions are always smooth and defined for all real numbers, which makes them easy to work with in many mathematical contexts.