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Exercises · Q9

Q.Form the differential equation representing the family of curves y=Acos⁡x+Bsin⁡xy=A\cos x+B\sin x, where A,BA,B are arbitrary constants.

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Differentiating twice (two constants need two differentiations)

y=Acos⁡x+Bsin⁡xy=A\cos x+B\sin x

dydx=−Asin⁡x+Bcos⁡x\frac{dy}{dx}=-A\sin x+B\cos x

d2ydx2=−Acos⁡x−Bsin⁡x\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}=-A\cos x-B\sin x

Recognising the elimination

The right-hand side of the second derivative is exactly −(Acos⁡x+Bsin⁡x)=−y-(A\cos x+B\sin x)=-y:

d2ydx2=−y  ⟹  d2ydx2+y=0\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}=-y \implies \frac{d^2y}{dx^2}+y=0

Check (independent recomputation, verifying with the original family directly substituted): for y=Acos⁡x+Bsin⁡xy=A\cos x+B\sin x, computing d2ydx2\frac{d^2y}{dx^2} directly gives −Acos⁡x−Bsin⁡x-A\cos x-B\sin x, which is literally −y-y by the original equation — so d2ydx2+y=0\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}+y=0 holds for EVERY choice of A,BA,B, confirming the family-wide differential equation.

✓Final answer

d2ydx2+y=0\dfrac{d^2y}{dx^2}+y=0

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