Chapter 8: Problem 54
Plot a solution to the initial-value problem $$ \frac{d y}{d t}=0.98\left(1-\frac{y}{5}\right) y, \quad y_{0}=1 $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The solution to the initial-value problem shows logistic growth with \( y(t) \) approaching 5.
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Differential Equation
The given differential equation is of the form \( \frac{dy}{dt} = f(t, y) \), with \( f(t, y) = 0.98 \left(1 - \frac{y}{5}\right) y \). This represents a first-order non-linear differential equation.
02
Identify the Initial Condition
The initial condition provided is \( y(0) = 1 \). This means that at \( t = 0 \), the value of \( y \) is \( 1 \). This will be used to plot the solution from this initial point.
03
Analyze the Equation
The expression \( 0.98 \left(1 - \frac{y}{5}\right) y \) indicates that the rate of change of \( y \) with respect to \( t \) depends on \( y \) itself. The term \( \left(1 - \frac{y}{5}\right) \) suggests logistic growth, where \( y \) approaches 5 as \( t \) increases.
04
Consider the Qualitative Behavior
As \( y \) increases towards 5, \( \left(1 - \frac{y}{5}\right) \) decreases, slowing the growth of \( y \). With \( y_0 = 1 \), \( y(t) \) should grow exponentially initially, then slow down as it nears \( y = 5 \).
05
Plotting the Solution
Plot the function \( y(t) \) starting from the initial condition \( (0, 1) \). You'll start with a steep slope, then gradually flatten as \( y \) approaches 5. Numerical methods or software (like Python, MATLAB) can verify the exact behavior.
06
Verify against Expected Behavior
Ensure that the plot resembles the logistic growth curve: initially exponential growth that slows and approaches a horizontal asymptote at \( y = 5 \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
First-Order Differential Equations
First-order differential equations involve derivatives of a function with respect to one variable, typically time, and are of the form \( \frac{dy}{dt} = f(t, y) \). They are fundamental in modeling systems where the rate of change depends only on the current state and time.
- Key Feature: The dependent variable (like \( y \) here) and its derivative only depend on the present value, not any higher derivatives.
- Non-linearity: Our equation \( \frac{dy}{dt} = 0.98\left(1 - \frac{y}{5}\right) y \) is non-linear because the dependent variable \( y \) is multiplied by itself.
Logistic Growth
Logistic growth models are popular for describing populations and processes that start with exponential growth and then slow as they reach carrying capacity.
- Carrying Capacity: In our problem, the term \( \left(1 - \frac{y}{5}\right) \) hints that the carrying capacity is \( 5 \). This means as \( y \) approaches \( 5 \), growth slows down.
- Growth Rate: Initially, when \( y \) is much smaller than \( 5 \), \( y \) grows rapidly since \( \left(1 - \frac{y}{5}\right) \approx 1 \).
Numerical Methods
Numerical methods are tools to approximately solve differential equations when an exact solution is difficult to find.
- Why Use Numerical Methods: Our equation is non-linear and solving it analytically might not be straightforward.
- Common Methods: Techniques like Euler's method and Runge-Kutta methods allow us to calculate estimates by incrementing small steps forward in time.