Math 307K, Winter 2012

Final Exam: Solutions

Page 1 of 7

1. (7 total points) Suppose that a given population can be divided into two parts: those who have a given
disease and can infect others and those who do not have it but are susceptible. If the disease spreads
by contact between sick and well members of the population, that the rate of spread dy
dt is proportional
to such contacts, and both groups move about freely among each other, one can model the proportion
of infectious individuals by
dy
= y(1 y), y(0) = y0 .
dt
where > 0 is a positive constant.
(a) (2 points) Find and classify all equilibrium solutions.
Equilibrium solutions satisfy

dy
dt

= 0, so
0=

dy
= y(1 y)
dt

and hence y1 = 0 and y2 = 1 are the two equilibrium solutions. Since y is a proportion,
0 y 1, and we only need to check one side for each equilibrium solution. Also, 0 y 1
implies that dy
dt 0, so we conclude that y1 is unstable and y2 is stable.
(b) (5 points) Solve the initial value problem, and determine the proportion of infectious individuals
as t .
The differential equation is separable, so we need to compute
Z

y0
dt =
y(1 y)

dt

Make the usual change of variables u = y(t), so dy = y0 (t)dt, and

Z

t +C =

dt =

y0
dt =
y(1 y)

1
du
u(1 u)

The function we need to integrate is a rational function, so we need to compute its partial fraction
decomposition.
1
A
B
= +
1 = A(1 u) + Bu = (B A)u + A
u(1 u) u 1 u
so A = 1, 0 = B A, and hence B = 1. Thus
Z

t +C =

1
du =
u(1 u)



1
1
y
+
du = ln |u| ln |1 u| = ln
u 1u
1y

We can ignore the absolute value signs inside the logarithm since 0 y 1 whicih implies that
y
1y 0. To solve for y,


y
y
Cet
1
Cet =
Cet = y +Cet y y =
= t
.
t +C = ln
t
1y
1y
1 +Ce
Ce
+1
Finally, evaluate this equation at 0 to determine C,
y0 = y(0) =

1
1
1
1 y0
C+1 =
C = 1 =
C+1
y0
y0
y0

Math 307K, Winter 2012

Final Exam: Solutions

Thus,
y(t) =

1
1y0 t
y0 e

+1

Page 2 of 7

y0
.
(1 y0 )et + y0

To determine the limit of this quantity as t , note that et 0, so

lim y(t) =

y0
= 1.
0 + y0

2. (4 points) A tank contains 10 gal of water. Initially, the concentration of dye is 0.5 g/gal. Water with
a concentration of dye of 0.1 g/gal flows in at a rate of 1 gal/min. The tank has an outlet at the bottom
where 2 gal/min of water flow out.
Find the amount of dye contained in the tank at time t. For which t 0 is the differential equation
valid?
Let Q(t) be the amount of dye at time t. Initially, there are 10 gal of water which contain 0.5 g/gal,
so Q(0) = 5. Now,
g
gal Q(t) g
gal
dQ
= rate in rate out = 0.1
1

2
dt
gal min V (t) gal min
where V (t) is the amount of water at time t. Initially, the tanks contains 10 gal of water, so
V (0) = 10. One gallon flows in per minute, and two gallons flow out, so
dV
= 1 2 = 1 V (t) = t +C
dt
The initial condition V (0) = 10 implies that V (t) = 10 t. In particular, the tank will be empty
at time t = 10, so the differential equation will be valid only for times 0 t 10. Now, the
differential equation reads
dQ 2Q(t)
+
= 0.1.
dt
10 t
This equation is linear, so we use the integrating factor method.
dQ
2
(t)
+
(t)Q(t) = 0.1(t).
dt
10 t
so we need
2
1
1
0 (t) = (t)
ln((t)) = 2 ln(10 t) = ln
(t) =
.
2
10 t
(10 t)
(10 t)2
Plugging in yields
d
1
1
dQ
2
1
0.1
Q(t) =
+
Q(t) =
2
2
2
dt (10 t)
(10 t) dt
10 t (10 t)
(10 t)2
so
Z
1
0.1
0.1
Q(t) =
dt =
+C Q(t) = 0.1(10 t) +C(10 t)2 .
2
2
(10 t)
(10 t)
10 t
Finally, Q(0) = 5, so
4
5 = Q(0) = 1 + 100C C =
= 0.04.
100
We conclude that
Q(t) = 0.1(10 t) + 0.04(10 t)2

Math 307K, Winter 2012

Final Exam: Solutions

Page 3 of 7

3. (8 points) A mass weighing 2 lb stretches a spring 16 ft. Suppose the mass is displaced an additional
1 ft downward and then released. The mass is in a medium that exerts a viscous resistance of 2 lb when
the mass has a velocity of 16 ft/s. Moreover, suppose an external force with magnitude F(t) = tet
acts on the spring-mass system.
Determine the position of the mass for all times t 0. Recall that g = 32 ft/s2 .
Let u(t) be the position of the mass. Then u0 (0) = 0 since the spring is released, and u(0) = 1
since the mass is displaced 1 ft into the positive (downward) direction. The motion satisfies the
differential equation
mu00 + u0 + ku = F(t),
where m is the mass, the damping constant, k the spring constant, and F(t) the external force.
2
1
2
0
= 16
. Since kLmg = 0, k = mg
Clearly F(t) = tet . Next, m = wg = 32
L = 16 . Finally, |u (t)| = Fv
2
where Fv is the viscuous resistance, so 2 = 16, so = 16
. Thus
1 00 2 0 2
u + u + u = tet u00 + 2u0 + 2u = 16tet .
16
16
16
First, lets solve the homogeneous equation. The characteristic polynomial is r2 + 2r + 2 which
has roots 1 i. Thus
uh (t) = et (A cos(t) + B sin(t)) .
To find the particular solution of the inhomogeneous equation, we make the educated guess
uc (t) = Cet + Dtet .
Then
u0c (t) = Cet + Det Dtet = (D C)et Dtet ,
u00c (t) = Cet Det Det + Dtet = (C 2D)et + Dtet ,
so if we plug into the original equation,




16tet = (C 2D)et + Dtet + 2 (D C)et Dtet + 2 Cet + Dtet = Cet + Dtet .
Thus C = 0 and D = 16, and the particular solution is
uc (t) = 16tet .
Therefore,
u(t) = et (A cos(t) + B sin(t)) + 16tet .
To finish, we need to determine A and B using the initial conditions,
1 = u(0) = A,
so


0 = u (0) = e (cos(t) + B sin(t))+e ( sin(t) + B cos(t))+16e 16te 
0

t 
t=0

and B = 15. That is,

u(t) = et (cos(t) 15 sin(t)) + 16tet .

= 1+B+16,

Math 307K, Winter 2012

Final Exam: Solutions

Page 4 of 7

4. (6 points) Consider the differential equation obtained by considering an arbitrary undamped system
with external force F(t) = F0 cos(0t),
mu00 + ku = F0 cos(0t),
where 0 =

k
m.

Determine all the solutions to this differential equation.

The roors of the characteristic polynomial satisfy
r
k
k
mr + k = 0 r = r = i
= i0
m
m
2

and hence the solution to the homogeneous equation is

uh (t) = A cos(0t) + B sin(0t).
The educated guess for the particular solution of the inhomogeneous equation is
uc (t) = C cos(0t) + D sin(0t)
which happends to be a solution of the homogeneous equation, so we have to modify it and work
with
uc (t) = Ct cos(0t) + Dt sin(0t).
Now,
u0c (t) = C cos(0t) C0t sin(0t) + D sin(0t) + D0t cos(0t),
and
u00c (t) = C0 sin(0t) C0 sin(0t) C02t cos(0t)
+D0 cos(0t) + D0 cos(0t) D02t sin(0t)
= 2C0 sin(0t) C02t cos(0t) + 2D0 cos(0t) D02t sin(0t).
Plug into the differential equation to obtain


F0 cos(0t) = m 2C0 sin(0t) C02t cos(0t) + 2D0 cos(0t) D02t sin(0t)
+k (Ct cos(0t) + Dt sin(0t))
= 2m0C sin(0t) + (k m02 )Ct cos(0t)
+2m0 D cos(0t) + (k m02 )Dt sin(0t).
Since

r !2
k
k m02 = k m
=0
m

this reads
F0 cos(0t) = 2m0C sin(0t) + 2m0 D cos(0t),
so 0 = 2m0C, i. e. C = 0, and F0 = 2m0 D, so D =

F0
2m0 .

u(t) = A cos(0t) + B sin(0t) +

Thus

F0
t sin(0t).
2m0

Math 307K, Winter 2012

Final Exam: Solutions

Page 5 of 7

5. (4 points) Solve the initial value problem

y(4) + 5y00 + 6y = 0,

y(0) = y000 (0) = 1,

y0 (0) = y00 (0) = 0.

Hint: To factor the quartic, reduce it to a quadratic by setting s2 = u.

Apply the Laplace transform to both sides to obtain
0 = L (y(4) + 5y00 + 6y) = L (y(4) ) + 5L (y00 ) + 6L (y)


= s4 L (y) s3 y(0) s2 y0 (0) sy00 (0) y000 (0) + 5 s2 L (y) sy(0) y0 (0) + 6L (y)
= (s4 + 5s2 + 6)L (y) s3 5s 1,
so
L (y) =

s3 + 5s + 1
s3 + 1 + 5s
=
.
s4 + 5s2 + 6 (s2 + 2) (s2 + 3)

We factored the quartic by setting s2 = u, using the quadratic formula, and ten resubstituting, so
s4 + 5s2 + 6 = u2 + 5u + 6 = (u + 2)(u + 3) = (s2 + 2)(s2 + 3).
To comute the partial fraction decomposition, write
s3 + 5s + 1
As + B Cs + D
= 2
+ 2
,
4
2
s + 5s + 6
s +2
s +3
so
s3 +5s+1 = (As+B)(s2 +3)+(Cs+D)(s2 +2) = s3 (A+C)+s2 (B+D)+s(3A+2C)+(3B+2D).
Thus, A +C = 1, B + D = 0, 3A + 2C = 5, and 3B + 2D = 1, which is easily solved to be B = 1,
D = 1, A = 3, and C = 2. Thus

s
1
s
1
3s + 1 2s 1
2
3
+ 2
=3 2
+ 2
2 2
2
.
L (y) = 2
s +2
s +3
s +2
s +3
3 s +3
2 s +2
so using the table of Laplace transforms,

1
1
y(t) = 3 cos( 2t) + sin( 2t) 2 cos( 3t) sin( 3t).
3
2

6. (0 total points)
(a) (3 points) Prove that
L (Hc fc ) = ecs L ( f ).
Recall that ft (x) = f (x t) is the t-translate of a function, and that

0 t c
Hc =
.
1 t >c

Math 307K, Winter 2012

Final Exam: Solutions

Page 6 of 7

By the definition of the Laplace transform, the Heaviside function, and translations,
L (Hc fc )(s) =

Z
0

est Hc (t) fc (t)dt =

est f (t c)dt.

Now make the change of variables t c = u. Then dt = du, and

Z

st

f (t c)dt =

s(u+c)

f (u)du = e

sc

esu f (u)du = esc L ( f )(s).

(b) (4 points) Consider the initial value problem


41 2 (t 2)2 + 1 0 t 2
00
y + 4y =
,
sin(t) + 1
t > 2

y(0) = y0 (0) = 0

Determine the Laplace transform of y (do NOT determine the function y itself).
Rewrite the right hand side as


1
2
(H0 (t) H2 (t)) 2 (t 2) + 1 + H2 (t) (sin(t) + 1) .
4
Next, apply the Laplace transform to both sides. The left hand side can be computed as
L (y00 + 4y) = L (y00 ) + 4L (y) = s2 L (y) sy(0) y0 (0) + 4L (y) = (s2 + 4)L (y).
For the right hand side, we use the fact that the function is 2-periodic, sin(t) = sin(t 2),
to deduce that




1
2
L H0 (t) H2 (t)) 2 (t 2) + 1 + H2 (t) (sin(t) + 1)
4






1
1
2
2
= L H0 (t) 2 (t 2) + 1
L H2 (t) 2 (t 2) + 1
4
4
+L (H2 (t) (sin(t) + 1))





1
1
2
2
= L
2 (t 2) + 1
L H2 (t) 2 (t 2) + 1
4
4
+L (H2 (t) (sin(t 2) + 1))
Now, by part (a),




t
1 2
t2
2s
= L
2+
e L 2 t + 1 + e2s L (sin(t) + 1)
4

4




1
1
1
1
1
1
2s
2s
= 2 3 + e
2 3+
+e
+
2 s
s
2 s
s
s2 + 1 s

7. (4 points) Solve the differential equation

t 2 u00 + tu0 + 1 = 0

t > 0.

Math 307K, Winter 2012

Final Exam: Solutions

Page 7 of 7

Set v = u0 , then the differential equation reads

t 2 v0 + tv + 1 = 0
which is linear first order. Then

1
1
v0 + v = 2 ,
t
t

so the integrating factor satisfies 0 = 1t . Simiarly as in problem 2 we can show = t, so that

1
d
(tv) = tv0 + v = ,
dt
t
so
tv = ln(t) +C v =

ln(t) C
+
t
t

Now resubstitute v = u0 and integrate to obtain

Z

u=

u dt =

ln(t) C
+ dt.
t
t

The integral can be integrated by a change of variables s = ln(t), so ds = 1t dt, and

Z

u=

ln(t)

dt +C ln(t)+D =
t

sds+C ln(t)+D =

s2
(lnt)2
+C ln(t)+D =
+C ln(t)+D.
2
2