Millan 1 Abe Millan Differential Equations David Froemke 22 January 2013 Project 1 1) Plot slope fields

a)

Maple Commands:
eq := diff(y(x), x) = y(x)*(1-x); DEplot(eq, y(x), x = -1 .. 1, [[y(0) = 2]], y = -1 .. 5, linecolor = blue);

b)

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c) Maple Commands:
eq := diff(y(x), x) = x^2-y(x); DEplot(eq, y(x), x = -1 .. 1, [[y(0) = 2]], y = -1 .. 5, linecolor = blue);

d) Maple Commands:
eq := diff(y(x), x) = 2*y(x)-y(x)^2; DEplot(eq, y(x), x = -1 .. 1, [[y(0) = 2]], y = -1 .. 5, linecolor = blue);

Millan 3 2a) What is a function? According to Wikipedia, a function is a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs with the property that each input is related to exactly one output. To further explain this definition, we can take a look at the picture on the left. The FUNCTION f is the relation or algorithm that manipulates the set of inputsin this case any real number xand produces an outputin this case f(x). The set of inputs is not limited to the variable x. For example, we can have what we call a multivariable function that has more than one variable for an input (this input is a unique ordered pair). The last thing to note is that no matter what input you have, that specific input can only have one output. For instance the input 3 cannot have an output of 5 and 10; it may only have one output. 2b) What is a solution to a differential equation? To put it simply, a solution to a differential equation is a function that satisfies a differential equation. To expand on this, a differential equation, as it name implies, is an equation that involves derivatives, (often in the form when they are first order) and whose solution is the unknown function y. This solution is actually a family of functions because it involves a constant C, and when you differentiate it the constant disappears and we get , our original differential equation. Thus, the algebraic solutions we are used to, such as , cannot be solutions for differential equations because they are not functions and the unknown solution of a differential equation has to be a function for reason already stated. 3) What is Uniqueness and Existence? Uniqueness: being without a like or equal (Merriam Webster) Existence: The fact or state of living or having objective reality. (Google Dictionary) In the case of differential equations, uniqueness means that you cannot have two solutions. Having to two or more solutions to a differential equation that the two solutions would graphically mean that the two solutions would be tangent (they would be touching). Existence in differential equations means that there is a solution; there would be a graph of the solution according to the initial condition if the solution were existent. Why is this important? Well, when we are faced with an initial value problem that models a physical system, we want to make sure that our mathematical model can adequately represent the physical system. If it so happens that there is not a unique solution or a solution doesnt exist, then you mathematical model might not be adequately representing the system. This is why we worry about the existence and uniqueness of the solutions in a differential equation. 4) Why and how does the formal definition of Uniqueness and Existence work? The theorem of Existence and Uniqueness of solutions, if the hypotheses are met, can tell you that an initial value problem has one and only one solution, yet if the hypotheses are not met, the theorem does not conclude anything. If the differential function, is continuous near a point , such that is the initial condition, then it guarantees existence near

Millan 4 The differential function is the slope of the unknown function , so the idea behind the first hypothesis can be better described when it is not met. For example the is not continuous near , and therefor the theorem cannot guarantee existence. If we think about it, as x approaches 0 from both sides, appears to be a vertical asymptote approaching infinity. Because is the slope of our family of solutions, it would imply that at the point , we should expect to have a slope of infinity, which is not reasonable and therefore we cannot conclude anything at the point . As far as uniqueness goes, it is hard to say why the continuity of can guarantee uniqueness, but in this particular example, we can see why there isnt uniqueness by finding the family of solutions through separation. becomes , and by integrating and simplifying we get . This

results in a family of lines with varying slope A. And because of this, there is no uniqueness at the point . 5). 66. Early one morning it starts to snow. At 7AM a snowplow sets off to clear the road. By 8AM, it has gone 2 miles. It takes an additional 2 hours (until 10AM) for the plow to go another 2 miles. Let t = 0 when it begins to snow, let x denote the distance traveled by the plow at time t. Assuming the snowplow clears snow at a constant rate in cubic feet/hour: a) Show that , where k is a constant

b) What time did it start snowing? For part a, the instructions are confusing and unclear, but what we are giving is a differential equation. First I will put the differential equation into its standard form: . This is a separable equation and therefore I integrate both sides with respect to t and simplify to get, [ | | [ ] ]

To verify this, I can take the derivative and plug it in to the original equation. [ ]

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Plugging it in I can see that, [ ]

For part b, we have our solution Let represent 7AM, so

] represents 8AM, and represents 10AM.

The snowplow had gone 2 miles from 7-8AM, thus, [ ] [ ]

The snowplow had gone 4 miles from 7-10AM, thus, [ ] [ ]

( Thus, for ( )

) ( ) ( ) ( ) and using the calculator to solve this equation

, we get that

which implies that it started snowing an hour before 7AM, 6AM.

67. A snowplow sets off at 7AM as in Problem 66. Suppose now that by 8AM it had traveled 4 miles and that by 9AM it had moved an additional 3 miles. What time did it start snowing? Let represent 7AM, so represents 8AM, and represents 9AM.

Millan 6 The snowplow had gone 4 miles from 7-8AM, thus, [ ] [ ]

The snowplow had gone 7 miles from 7-9AM, thus, [ ] [ ]

( Thus, ( )

) ( ) ( ) ( ) and using the calculator to solve this

equation for , we get that , but because we are dealing with time, this implies that it started snowing two hours and 33 minutes before 7AM, 4:27AM.

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