Chapter 2: Problem 13
Find a general solution. Check your answer by substitution. $$y^{\prime \prime}-144 y=0$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The general solution is \( y(x) = C_1 e^{12x} + C_2 e^{-12x} \).
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Type of Differential Equation
The given differential equation is a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients: \( y'' - 144y = 0 \).
02
Characteristic Equation
To solve this, we first find the characteristic equation by replacing \( y'' \) with \( r^2 \) and \( y \) with \( r \). This gives:\[ r^2 - 144 = 0 \] which can be rewritten as \( r^2 = 144 \).
03
Solve the Characteristic Equation
Solve \( r^2 = 144 \) to find the roots: \( r = \pm 12 \). So, the roots are \( r_1 = 12 \) and \( r_2 = -12 \). These are distinct real roots.
04
Write the General Solution
The general solution of a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation with real and distinct roots \( r_1 \) and \( r_2 \) is:\[ y(x) = C_1 e^{r_1 x} + C_2 e^{r_2 x} \]Substitute the found roots:\[ y(x) = C_1 e^{12x} + C_2 e^{-12x} \]
05
Substitute Back to Verify the Solution
To verify, calculate the first and second derivatives:\[ y'(x) = 12C_1 e^{12x} - 12C_2 e^{-12x} \]\[ y''(x) = 144C_1 e^{12x} + 144C_2 e^{-12x} \]Substitute \( y(x) \) and \( y''(x) \) back into the original equation:\[ y'' - 144y = (144C_1 e^{12x} + 144C_2 e^{-12x}) - 144(C_1 e^{12x} + C_2 e^{-12x}) = 0 \]The equation holds true, confirming the solution.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Characteristic Equation
When tackling a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation like \( y'' - 144y = 0 \), the first step in finding the solution is to form the characteristic equation. This equation effectively transforms the differential equation into an algebraic problem by substituting derivatives with powers of a variable, typically \( r \).
- Replace \( y'' \) with \( r^2 \).
- Replace \( y \) with \( r \).
Linear Homogeneous Differential Equation
A linear homogeneous differential equation is characterized by two key features: it is linear, and it is homogeneous.
- Linear: Each term is a multiple of the function \( y \) or its derivatives. There are no products or powers of \( y \) or its derivatives.
- Homogeneous: The equation equals zero when there are no forcing terms or functions independent of \( y \).
Distinct Real Roots
Finding roots is a critical part of solving a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation. In our equation's characteristic equation \( r^2 - 144 = 0 \), we are solving for \( r \). This results in roots \( r = 12 \) and \( r = -12 \), which are distinct and real.
- Distinct: The roots are different from one another.
- Real: The roots are not complex or imaginary numbers.