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Lecture Notes in Differential Equations - Bruce E. Shapiro

Lecture Notes in Differential Equations - Bruce E. Shapiro

Lecture Notes in Differential Equations - Bruce E. Shapiro

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Lesson 21<br />

Reduction of Order<br />

The method of reduction of order allows us to f<strong>in</strong>d a second solution to the<br />

homogeneous equation if we already know one solution. Suppose that y 1 is<br />

a solution if<br />

then we look for a solution of the form<br />

Differentiat<strong>in</strong>g twice,<br />

Substitut<strong>in</strong>g these <strong>in</strong>to (21.1),<br />

y ′′ + p(t)y ′ + q(t)y = 0 (21.1)<br />

y 2 = g(t)y 1 (t) (21.2)<br />

y 2 ′ = gy 1 ′ + g ′ y 1 (21.3)<br />

y 2 ′′ = gy 1 ′′ + 2g ′ y 1 ′ + g ′′ y 1 (21.4)<br />

gy 1 ′′ + 2g ′ y 1 ′ + g ′′ y 1 + pgy 1 ′ + pg ′ y 1 + qgy 1 = 0 (21.5)<br />

2g ′ y 1 ′ + y 1 g ′′ + pg ′ y 1 + (y 1 ′′ + py 1 ′ + qy 1 )g = 0 (21.6)<br />

S<strong>in</strong>ce y 1 is a solution of (21.1), the quantity <strong>in</strong> parenthesis is zero. Hence<br />

This is a first order equation <strong>in</strong> z = g ′ ,<br />

y 1 g ′′ + (2y ′ 1 + py 1 )g ′ = 0 (21.7)<br />

y 1 z ′ + (2y ′ 1 + py 1 )z = 0 (21.8)<br />

179

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