You are on page 1of 5

Examples for obtaining a set of first-order ODE from a higher order ODE

1)

( x 1) 2 y + (1 + x) y = 3 x cos(2 x) First rewrite the equation and re-label the derivatives as follows: ( x 1) 2 y + 0 y + 0 y + (1 + x) y = 3 x cos(2 x)

z2

z2

z1

z0

Note: the higher order derivative is labeled differently. The set of first-order differential equations is: z0 = z1 z=z
1 2

with initial conditions

z 0 (0) = y (0) z1 (0) = y (0) z 2 (0) = y (0)

3 x cos(2 x) (1 + x) z0 z 2 = ( x 1) 2

Note: the number of first-order differential equations is three because this is a third order differential equation. Note: there will be three initial conditions because this is a third order differential equation. In Mathcad notation we can write:
z1 D( x, z ) := z2 3 x cos(2 x) (1 + x) z0 ( x 1) 2

and

y (0) zinitial := y (0) y(0)

Note: actual numbers should be substituted in the expression for the initial conditions.

2)

sin(t ) x + 20 x = 1 +

t e 5 t

+ 2 cos( t )

This equation is already a first order differential equation ! Solving for the first order D: derivative, x

1+ D= x

t e 5 t

+ 2 cos( t ) 20 x sin( t )
with initial condition
x ( 0)

Note: the number of first-order differential equations is one because this is a first order differential equation. Note: there is one initial condition because this is a first order differential equation. In Mathcad notation we can write:
1+ D(t , x) := t e 5 t + 2 cos( t ) 20 x sin(t )

and

xinitial := x(0)

Note: actual numbers must be substituted in the expression for the initial condition.

3)

(t 2 + 2) y + sin(3 t ) y + 5 y + sin( y ) = cos(t ) + 9 t

First rewrite the equation and re-label the derivatives as follows:


(t 2 + 2) y + 0 y + sin(3 t ) y + 5 y + sin( y ) = cos(t ) + 9 t

w2
Note:

w2

w1

w0

w0

sin( y ) becomes

sin( w0 ) .

Note: the higher order derivative is labeled differently. The set of first-order differential equations is:
D 0 = w1 w D 1 = w2 w D2 = w sin(3 t ) w1 5 w0 sin( w0 ) + cos(t ) + 9 t (t 2 + 2)

with initial conds.

w0 (0) = y (0) D (0) w1 (0) = y


D(0) w2 (0) = D y

Note: the number of first-order differential equations is three because this is a third order differential equation. Note: there will be three initial conditions because this is a third order differential equation. In Mathcad notation we can write:
w1 D(t , w) := w2 sin(3 t ) w1 5 w0 sin( w0 ) + cos(t ) + 9 t (t 2 + 2)

and

y (0) winitial := y (0) y (0)

Note: actual numbers should be substituted in the expression for the initial conditions.

4) Here we have two differential equations that are coupled (connected):

m1 x + b1 x + k ( x y ) + k 2 x = F sin( t ) m2 y k ( x y ) = 0
First rewrite the first equation and re-label the derivatives as follows:

m1 x + b1 x + (k + k 2 ) x k y = F sin( t )
z1

z1

z0

Now rewrite the second equation and re-label the derivatives. m2 y + 0 y + k y k x = 0


z3

z3

z2

Note: notice how the labels for the second equation are a continuation of the labels for the first equation. The set of first-order differential equations is:
z 0 = z1 1 z1 = [ b1 z1 (k + k 2 ) z 0 + k z 2 + F sin( t )] m1 z 2 = z3 1 z3 = [ k z 2 + k z 0 ] m2

z 0 (0) = x(0) and initial conds z1 (0) = x(0) z 2 (0) = y (0) z3 (0) = y (0)

Note: the number of first-order differential equations is four because two second order differential equations are used. Note: there will be four initial conditions. Two for each second order differential equation.

In Mathcad notation we can write:

z1 1 [ b1 z1 (k + k 2 ) z 0 + k z 2 + F sin( t )] m D(t , z ) := 1 z3 1 [ k z 2 + k z 0 ] m2

and

x(0) x(0) zinitial := y (0) y (0)

Note: actual numbers should be substituted in the expression for the initial conditions.

You might also like