Determine if the function y = 4e -x is a solution to the IVP
y" + y ' = 0 and y(0) = 4.
Answer
Let's check the initial condition first:
y(0) = 4e0 = 4,
so the initial condition is satisfied. Now for the differential equation. The right-hand side of the differential equation is 0. We have
y' = -4e-x
and
y" = 4e-x,
so the left-hand side of the d.e. is
y" + y' = 4e-x + (-4e-x) = 0.
Since the left- and right-hand sides of the d.e. come out the same, the function y = 4e-x satisfies the differential equation. Since the function y = 4e-x satisfies both the d.e. and the initial condition, this function is a solution to the IVP.
Example 2
Determine if the function f (x) = x3 is a solution to the IVP
3f (x) = xf '(x) and f (0) = 2.
Answer
Let's check the initial condition first:
f (0) = (0)3 ≠ 2.
Since the initial condition fails, f (x) = x3 is not a solution to the IVP.
Example 3
Determine if the function y = x + 2 is a solution to the IVP
Answer
The initial condition holds:
y(0) = (0) + 2 = 2.
The left-hand side of the d.e. is
2y = 2(x + 2) = 2x + 4.
Since the derivative of y is 1, the right-hand side of the d.e. is
Since the two sides of the d.e. are not equal, the function y = x + 2 is not a solution to the d.e. and therefore can't be a solution to the IVP either.
Example 4
Determine if the function f (x) = sin x is a solution to the IVP
f(3)(x) = -f '(x) and f (0) = 0.
Answer
The initial condition is satisfied, since sin (0) = 0. We need some derivatives to check the differential equation:
f '(x) = cos x
f(2)(x) = -sin x
f(3)(x) = -cos x.
The left-hand side of the d.e. is
f(3)(x) = -cos x.
The right-hand side of the d.e. is
-f '(x) = -cos x.
Since the two sides of the d.e. agree, the function f (x) = sin x is a solution to the differential equation. Since the function f (x) = sin x satisfies both the d.e. and the initial condition, this function is a solution to the IVP.
Example 5
Determine if the function y = x2 + 4x is a solution to the IVP
Answer
The initial condition is satisfied:
y(1) = (1)2 + 4(1) = 5.
We have
and
The left-hand side of the d.e. is
The right-hand side of the d.e. is
Since the two sides of the d.e. are the same, this function is a solution to the differential equation. Since this function also satisfies the initial condition, the function y = x2 + 4x is a solution to the IVP.