Differential Equations - Positively Homogeneous Domain
- Definition and an Example
What is a Differential Equation?
- An equation that relates a function with its derivatives.
- Involves one or more variables.
What is a Homogeneous Differential Equation?
- If all terms of the equation contain the dependent variable or its derivatives.
What is a Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation?
- If all terms of the equation have positive integral powers of the dependent variable or its derivatives.
- No negative powers or fractional powers are present.
Example of a Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation:
- dy/dx = (x^2)y - x(x^2 - 1)
Steps to Solve a Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation:
- Substitute y = vx into the given equation.
- Differentiate both sides with respect to x.
- Simplify and solve the resulting equation.
- Substitute the value of v back into the equation y = vx to get the general solution.
Step 1 - Substitute y = vx into the Equation
- Given differential equation: dy/dx = (x^2)y - x(x^2 - 1)
- Substitute y = vx: d(vx)/dx = (x^2)(vx) - x(x^2 - 1)
Step 2 - Differentiate Both Sides with Respect to x
- Differentiate left side: v + x(dv/dx)
- Differentiate right side:
- Expand: x^3v - x^2 - x^3
- Differentiate: 3x^2v + x^3(dv/dx) - 2x
- Simplify: x^3(dv/dx) + 3x^2v - 2x - x^2
Step 3 - Simplify and Solve the Equation
- Combine the terms with dv/dx: x(dv/dx) - x^3(dv/dx) - x^3 = -2x
- Re-arrange the terms: x(dv/dx) - x^3(dv/dx) = -2x + x^3
Step 3 - Simplify and Solve the Equation (cont.)
- Factor out the common term dv/dx: (x - x^3)(dv/dx) = -2x + x^3
- Divide both sides by (x - x^3):
- dv/dx = (-2x + x^3)/(x - x^3)
- dv/dx = -2/(1 - x^2)
Step 4 - Substitute the Value of v back into the Equation
- Recall that y = vx
- Substitute v = (-2/(1 - x^2)):
General Solution of the Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation
- The general solution is given by:
Properties of Positively Homogeneous Differential Equations
- The sum of two homogeneous functions of the same degree is also a homogeneous function of the same degree.
- The product of a homogeneous function of degree m and a homogeneous function of degree n is a homogeneous function of degree m + n.
- If f(x, y) is a homogeneous function of degree n, then d/dxf(x, y) + d/dyf(x, y) is also a homogeneous function of degree n.
Example 1: Solving a Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation
- Given: x(dy/dx) = y(x^2 + y^2)
- Substitute y = vx:
- x(dv/dx) + v = v(x^2 + v^2)
- Simplify and solve:
- x(dv/dx) = v(x^2 + v^2 - 1)
- (1/v)(dv/dx) = x/(x^2 + v^2 - 1)
- Take integral of both sides:
- ln|v| = ln|x^2 + v^2 - 1| + ln|C|
- Exponential both sides:
- Substitute back:
- y = vx
- y = C(x^2 + y^2 - x^2)
Example 2: Solving a Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation
- Given: y(dy/dx) - x = 0
- Substitute y = vx:
- Simplify and solve:
- v(dv/dx) = 1
- Take integral of both sides:
- Exponential both sides:
- Substitute back:
Example 3: Solving a Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation
- Given: x(dy/dx) = y^2 - x^2
- Substitute y = vx:
- x(dv/dx) + v = v^2x^2 - x^2
- Simplify and solve:
- x(dv/dx) = v^2x^2 - 2x^2
- (1/x)(dv/dx) = v^2 - 2
- Take integral of both sides:
- Exponential both sides:
- Substitute back:
Application of Positively Homogeneous Differential Equations
- Used in physics to describe physical processes.
- Used in economics to model economic growth.
- Used in biology to study population dynamics.
- Used in engineering to solve various problems.
Solving Positively Homogeneous Differential Equations Numerically
- If an exact solution cannot be obtained, numerical methods can be used.
- Numerical methods approximate the solution by dividing the interval into small steps.
- Popular numerical methods include Euler’s method and Runge-Kutta methods.
Euler’s Method for Numerical Approximation
- Start with an initial condition (x0, y0).
- Calculate the slope at the initial point (dy/dx) using the given differential equation.
- Multiply the slope by a small step size h.
- Add the product to the initial y-coordinate to get the next y-coordinate.
- Repeat the process for the desired number of steps.
Runge-Kutta Methods for Numerical Approximation
- Runge-Kutta methods involve multiple evaluations of the slope at different points.
- More accurate than Euler’s method.
- Popular variations include the 2nd order and 4th order Runge-Kutta methods.
Advantages of Numerical Methods
- Can be used for complex differential equations that do not have exact solutions.
- Can handle problems with non-linear terms and multiple variables.
- Allows for evaluation and approximation of the solution at specific points.
- Provides a numerical representation of the solution that can be analyzed and compared.
Summary
- Positively homogeneous differential equations consist of terms that have positive integral powers of the dependent variable or its derivatives.
- The steps to solve a positively homogeneous differential equation involve substitution, differentiation, simplification, and substitution of the value back into the equation.
- Numerical methods can be used to approximate the solution of positively homogeneous differential equations when an exact solution is not available.
Properties of Positively Homogeneous Differential Equations (continued)
- If f(x, y) is a homogeneous function of degree n, then (1/x)*f(x, y) is a homogeneous function of degree n-1.
- Differentiation of a homogeneous function of degree n with respect to x gives a function of degree n-1.
- Integration of a homogeneous function of degree n with respect to x gives a function of degree n+1.
Example 4: Solving a Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation
- Given: x(dy/dx) = 2y
- Substitute y = vx:
- Simplify and solve:
- x(dv/dx) = v(x - 2)
- (1/v)(dv/dx) = (x - 2)/x
- Take integral of both sides:
- ln|v| = x - 2ln|x| + ln|C|
- Exponential both sides:
- Simplify:
- Substitute back:
Example 5: Solving a Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation
- Given: x(dy/dx) = y^2 + 2xy
- Substitute y = vx:
- x(dv/dx) + v = (v^2x^2) + 2vx^2
- Simplify and solve:
- x(dv/dx) = v(v^2 + 2x)
- (1/v)(dv/dx) = (v^2 + 2x)/x
- Take integral of both sides:
- ln|v| = ln|x| + ln|v^2 + 2x| + ln|C|
- Exponential both sides:
- Substitute back:
- y = vx
- y = Cx^2(x^2 + 2x)
Example 6: Solving a Positively Homogeneous Differential Equation
- Given: x(dy/dx) + y = x^2 + y^2
- Substitute y = vx:
- x(dv/dx) + v = x^2 + v^2x^2
- Simplify and solve:
- x(dv/dx) = (x^2 + v^2x^2) - v
- (1/x)(dv/dx) = (x + v^2x - v)/x
- Take integral of both sides:
- ln|v| = ln|x| + ln|1 + v^2 - 1| + ln|C|
- Exponential both sides:
- Simplify:
- Substitute back:
Numerical Methods for Positively Homogeneous Differential Equations
- Numerical methods provide approximate solutions to differential equations.
- Euler’s method is a simple and straightforward numerical approximation method.
- Runge-Kutta methods are more accurate and widely used.
Euler’s Method for Numerical Approximation (continued)
- Calculate the slope at the current point using the given differential equation.
- Multiply the slope by a small step size h.
- Add the product to the current y-coordinate to get the next y-coordinate.
- Repeat the process for the desired number of steps.
Runge-Kutta Methods for Numerical Approximation (continued)
- Runge-Kutta methods involve multiple evaluations of the slope at different points.
- More accurate than Euler’s method.
- Popular variations include the 2nd order and 4th order Runge-Kutta methods.
Advantages of Numerical Methods (continued)
- Can be used for complex differential equations that do not have exact solutions.
- Can handle problems with non-linear terms and multiple variables.
- Allows for evaluation and approximation of the solution at specific points.
- Provides a numerical representation of the solution that can be analyzed and compared.
Summary (continued)
- Positively homogeneous differential equations consist of terms that have positive integral powers of the dependent variable or its derivatives.
- The steps to solve a positively homogeneous differential equation involve substitution, differentiation, simplification, and substitution of the value back into the equation.
- Numerical methods can be used to approximate the solution of positively homogeneous differential equations when an exact solution is not available.
Summary (continued)
- Euler’s method and Runge-Kutta methods are numerical approximation methods used to solve positively homogeneous differential equations.
- Numerical methods provide an alternative approach for finding approximate solutions to differential equations.
- These methods can handle complex and non-linear equations, providing valuable insights and numerical representations of the solution.