MA2051 - Ordinary Differential Equations
Sample Exam Questions - C97

Originally Given 1996 D Term

Instructions: Do your work on the paper provided. Put your name and section number on the cover and on each page. Remember, your work and explanations are graded, not just the final answer.

(a)

Find two linearly independent solutions for . Prove that your solutions really are linearly independent.

(b)

Find a particular solution for .

(c)

Find the solution for which satisfies .

(a)

When there is no damping (so p=0) you can assume that the general solution is of the form where is the natural frequency. Find the constants , A and for the motion if the mass is pulled down 6 cm and released from rest.

(b)

When the motion of the mass is opposed by a friction damping force (so p > 0), the general solution is not the same as in part (a). Find the smallest value for p that would eliminate all oscillations from the solution. (Note: you do not have to actually solve the differential equation to answer this question.)

(c)

Find the smallest damping coefficient p > 0 that will reduce oscillations with an initial amplitude of 6 cm to an amplitude of 0.01 cm in 60 seconds. Explain your method clearly.

(a)

Give the characteristic equation and find its roots. Find two linearly independent solution pairs and use them to obtain the general solution for the system.

(b)

Find the solution satisfying the given initial conditions.

(c)

Sketch the solution curves for at least three initial points in the (y,z)-plane. Indicate clearly the direction of motion along the curve as t increases.

Use the standard model for a damped spring to compute and show that it is strictly negative (whenever the spring is moving) and so the energy is always decreasing.