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Worked Examples · Example 3

Q.Form the differential equation of the family of curves y=Aex+Be−xy = A e^{x} + B e^{-x}, where AA and BB are arbitrary constants.

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✓ Free question

There are two arbitrary constants AA and BB, so the resulting differential equation has order 22; differentiate twice.

y=Aex+Be−x.y = A e^{x} + B e^{-x}.

dydx=Aex−Be−x.\frac{dy}{dx} = A e^{x} - B e^{-x}.

d2ydx2=Aex+Be−x.\frac{d^2y}{dx^2} = A e^{x} + B e^{-x}.

The second derivative is identical to the original yy, so AA and BB are eliminated immediately:

d2ydx2=y⟹d2ydx2−y=0.\frac{d^2y}{dx^2} = y \quad\Longrightarrow\quad \frac{d^2y}{dx^2} - y = 0.

Verify: substitute y=Aex+Be−xy = Ae^{x}+Be^{-x} back. Then d2ydx2=Aex+Be−x=y\dfrac{d^2y}{dx^2} = Ae^{x}+Be^{-x} = y, so d2ydx2−y=0\dfrac{d^2y}{dx^2}-y = 0 holds for all A,BA,B. The equation is free of arbitrary constants, as required.

✓Final answer

d2ydx2−y=0\displaystyle\frac{d^2y}{dx^2} - y = 0.

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