Numerical Methods for PDEs and Applications

Camile Fraga Delfino Kunz

04 February 2019

Review Exercises - Part 1

Content:
• Taylor’s polynomial (error estimating);
• Linear/nonlinear difference equations/systems;
• Mathematical modelling.

1) Using Taylor polynomial of order 2, find an approximation for the values and
estimate the error using Taylor’s Theorem.
√ √
3
a) 4.01 b) 8.2 c) sin 0.2
d) e0.01 e) cos 0.05 f) ln 0.9

2) Suppose a population of cells divide synchronously, with each member pro-

ducing a daughter cells. We can write a simple equation to model the number
of cells in each generation:
Mn+1 = aMn

a) If we suppose that initially there are M0 > 0 cells, how big will be the pop-
ulation after n generations?
b) Analyse the behavior of the difference equation for different intervals of a.
Which ones are biologically feasible?

3) Consider the difference equation xn+2 − 3xn+1 + 2xn = 0.

a) Show that the general solution to this equation is xn = A1 + 2n A2 .
Now suppose that x0 = 10 and x1 = 20. Then A1 and A2 must satisfy
the system of equations
A1 + 20 A2 = x0 = 10,
A1 + 21 A2 = x1 = 20.

b) Solve for A1 and A2 and find the solution to the above initial value problem.

1
4) Solve the following difference equations subject to the specified x values and
analyse its behavior:
a) xn − 5xn−1 + 6xn−2 = 0; x0 = 2, x1 = 5.
b) xn+1 − 5xn + 4xn−1 = 0; x1 = 9, x2 = 33.
c) xn − xn−2 = 0; x1 = 3, x2 = 5.
d) xn+1 = 3xn ; x1 = 12.
e) xn+2 + xn = 0; x1 = 1, x2 = 2
5) Solve the following system of difference equations:
( (
xn+1 = −3xn − 2yn xn+1 = 5xn − 4yn
a) b)
yn+1 = 2xn + yn yn+1 = xn + yn

6) For modeling an aphid population, let’s consider the following parameters

and variables:
an : number of adults female aphids in the n-th generation;
pn : number of progeny in the n-th generation;
m : fractional mortality of the young aphids;
f : number of progeny per female aphid;
r : ratio of female to total adults aphids.
The model that describes number of insects (female) and progeny is given by:

pn+1 = f an
an+1 = r(1 − m)f an

a) If the fractional mortality of aphids is 80% and the sex ratio (ratio of females
to the total number of aphids) is 50%, what minimum fecundity f is required
to prevent extinction?
b) Establish a general condition on the fecundity of aphids to guarantee popu-
lation growth given a fixed survivorship and a known sex ratio.

7) In the circulatory system, the red blood cells (RBCs) are constantly being
destroyed and replaced. Since these cells carry oxygen through the body, their
number must be maintained at some fixed level. Assume that the spleen filters
out and destroys a certain fraction of cells daily and that the bone marrow
produces a number proportional to the number lost on the previous day. What
should be the cell count on the n-th?
To approach this problem, consider defining the following quantities:
Rn : number of RBCs in circulation on day n;
Mn : number of RBCs produced by marrow on day n;
f : fraction RBCs removed by spleen;
γ : production constant (number produced per number lost).

2
It follows that equations for Rn and Mn are:
(
Rn+1 = (1 − f )Rn + Mn
Mn+1 = γf Rn

a) Explain the model and show that this system can be reduced to a single 2nd
order difference equation.
b) Show that the eigenvalues are given by:
p
(1 − f ) ± (1 − f )2 + 4γf
λ1,2 =
2
and determine their signs and magnitudes.
c) For homeostasis, in the red cell count, the total number of red blood cells,
Rn , should remain roughly constant. Show that one way of achieving this is by
letting λ1 = 1. What does it imply about γ?
d) Using the result of part c), show that the second eigenvalue is then given by
λ2 = −f . What is then the behavior of the solution
Rn = Aλn1 + Bλn2 ?

8) Consider the logistic equation xn+1 = rxn (1 − xn ), r > 0. Calculate its

steady states and show the condition for it to be stable.

9) In population dynamics a frequently encountered model for fish populations

is based on an empirical equation called Ricker equation:
Nn+1 = αNn e−βNn

In this equation, α represents the maximal growth rate of the organism and β
is the inhibition of growth caused by overpopulation.
ln α
a) Show that this equation has a steady state N̄ = .
β
b) Show that the steady state in a) is stable provided that |1 − ln α| < 1.

10) In May (1978) a host-parasitoid systems is studied, a, F, k > 0:

(
Hn+1 = F Hn (1 + aPn /k)k
Pn+1 = Hn − Hn+1 /F

Determine the steady-states and their stability for this system.

References
1 Edelstein-Keshet, L. Mathematical Models in Biology, SIAM, 2005.