Differential Equations Quiz

Differential Equations Quiz: Solving Ivps Via Laplace

Practice Solving Ivps Via Laplace in Differential Equations with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

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Consider the initial value problem $y'' + 4y' + 13y = 0$ , with initial conditions $y(0) = 2$ and $y'(0) = -3$ . Let $Y(s) = \mathcal{L}\{y(t)\}$ . Which of the following expressions correctly represents $Y(s)$ ?

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Solving Ivps Via Laplace, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Differential Equations.

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Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

$Y(s) = \frac{2s + 5}{s^2 + 4s + 13}$ (correct answer)
$Y(s) = \frac{2s + 11}{s^2 + 4s + 13}$
$Y(s) = \frac{2s - 15}{s^2 + 4s + 13}$
$Y(s) = \frac{2s + 8}{s^2 + 4s + 13}$

Explanation: To solve the IVP using Laplace transforms, we first transform the entire equation. Let $Y(s) = \mathcal{L}\{y(t)\}$ . Using the properties of Laplace transforms for derivatives, $\mathcal{L}\{y''(t)\} = s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)$ and $\mathcal{L}\{y'(t)\} = sY(s) - y(0)$ . Substituting these into the ODE gives: $(s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)) + 4(sY(s) - y(0)) + 13Y(s) = 0$ Now, plug in the initial conditions $y(0) = 2$ and $y'(0) = -3$ : $(s^2Y(s) - s(2) - (-3)) + 4(sY(s) - 2) + 13Y(s) = 0$ $s^2Y(s) - 2s + 3 + 4sY(s) - 8 + 13Y(s) = 0$ Group the terms with $Y(s)$ : $Y(s)(s^2 + 4s + 13) - 2s - 5 = 0$ Finally, solve for $Y(s)$ : $Y(s)(s^2 + 4s + 13) = 2s + 5$ $Y(s) = \frac{2s + 5}{s^2 + 4s + 13}$ Distractor Reasoning: (B) results from a sign error in the formula for the second derivative, using $s^2Y(s) - sy(0) + y'(0)$ instead of $s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)$ . This would lead to a numerator of $2s+11$ . (C) results from confusing the initial conditions for the first and second derivatives, i.e., using $y(0)$ in the transform of $y'$ and $y'(0)$ in the transform of $y''$ . (D) results from completely omitting the $y'(0)$ term in the transform of $y''(t)$ . This would lead to a numerator of $2s+8$ .

Question 2

An initial value problem is described by $y'' + 2y' + y = \delta(t-3)$ , subject to $y(0)=1$ and $y'(0)=0$ . What is the solution $y(t)$ for $t > 3$ ?

$y(t) = e^{-t} + te^{-t} + (t-3)e^{-(t-3)}$ (correct answer)
$y(t) = e^{-t} + te^{-t} + te^{-(t-3)}$
$y(t) = e^{-t} + te^{-t} + e^{-(t-3)}$
$y(t) = (1+t)e^{-t} + (t-3)e^{t-3}$

Explanation: First, take the Laplace transform of the ODE. Let $Y(s) = \mathcal{L}\{y(t)\}$ . $\mathcal{L}\{y''\} + 2\mathcal{L}\{y'\} + \mathcal{L}\{y\} = \mathcal{L}\{\delta(t-3)\}$ $(s^2Y - sy(0) - y'(0)) + 2(sY - y(0)) + Y = e^{-3s}$ Substitute the initial conditions $y(0)=1, y'(0)=0$ : $(s^2Y - s) + 2(sY - 1) + Y = e^{-3s}$ $Y(s)(s^2+2s+1) - s - 2 = e^{-3s}$ $Y(s)(s+1)^2 = s+2+e^{-3s}$ $Y(s) = \frac{s+2}{(s+1)^2} + \frac{e^{-3s}}{(s+1)^2}$ For the first term, we use partial fractions: $\frac{s+2}{(s+1)^2} = \frac{s+1+1}{(s+1)^2} = \frac{1}{s+1} + \frac{1}{(s+1)^2}$ . The inverse Laplace transform is $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{\frac{1}{s+1} + \frac{1}{(s+1)^2}\} = e^{-t} + te^{-t}$ . For the second term, we use the second shifting theorem. Let $F(s) = \frac{1}{(s+1)^2}$ . Its inverse transform is $f(t) = te^{-t}$ . Then $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{e^{-3s}F(s)\} = f(t-3)u(t-3) = (t-3)e^{-(t-3)}u(t-3)$ . The complete solution is $y(t) = e^{-t} + te^{-t} + (t-3)e^{-(t-3)}u(t-3)$ . For $t>3$ , $u(t-3)=1$ , so the expression is $y(t) = e^{-t} + te^{-t} + (t-3)e^{-(t-3)}$ . Distractor Reasoning: (B) represents a common error in applying the shifting theorem, where the argument of the function $f(t)=te^{-t}$ is not fully shifted; only the exponential part is shifted. (C) results from an incorrect inverse transform of $\frac{1}{(s+1)^2}$ , taking it as $e^{-t}$ instead of $te^{-t}$ . (D) contains a sign error in the exponent of the second part of the solution, which is a common mistake in recalling the shifting theorem's effect on exponential functions.

Question 3

Solve the initial value problem $y'' - 2y' + 5y = 0$ , with $y(0)=1$ and $y'(0)=5$ .

$y(t) = e^{t}\cos(\sqrt{5}t) + \frac{4}{\sqrt{5}}e^t\sin(\sqrt{5}t)$
$y(t) = e^{t}(\cos(2t) + 4\sin(2t))$
$y(t) = e^{-t}(\cos(2t) + 2\sin(2t))$
$y(t) = e^{t}(\cos(2t) + 2\sin(2t))$ (correct answer)

Explanation: When you encounter a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients like $y'' - 2y' + 5y = 0$ , you need to find the characteristic equation and use initial conditions to determine specific constants. Start by assuming a solution of the form $y = e^{rt}$ and substitute into the differential equation. This gives you the characteristic equation: $r^2 - 2r + 5 = 0$ . Using the quadratic formula: $r = \frac{2 \pm \sqrt{4-20}}{2} = \frac{2 \pm \sqrt{-16}}{2} = 1 \pm 2i$ . Since you have complex roots $r = 1 \pm 2i$ , the general solution is $y(t) = e^{t}(c_1\cos(2t) + c_2\sin(2t))$ , where the real part (1) becomes the exponential coefficient and the imaginary part (2) becomes the argument of the trigonometric functions. Now apply the initial conditions. With $y(0) = 1$ : $1 = e^0(c_1\cos(0) + c_2\sin(0)) = c_1$ , so $c_1 = 1$ . For $y'(0) = 5$ , first find $y'(t) = e^t(\cos(2t) + c_2\sin(2t)) + e^t(-2\sin(2t) + 2c_2\cos(2t))$ . At $t = 0$ : $5 = 1 + 2c_2$ , so $c_2 = 2$ . Therefore, $y(t) = e^t(\cos(2t) + 2\sin(2t))$ , which is choice D. Choice A uses $\sqrt{5}$ instead of 2 in the trigonometric arguments. Choice B has the wrong coefficient for the sine term. Choice C incorrectly uses $e^{-t}$ instead of $e^t$ . Remember: complex roots $a \pm bi$ always produce solutions with $e^{at}$ multiplying $\cos(bt)$ and $\sin(bt)$ terms.

Question 4

The solution to the initial value problem $y'' + 4y = g(t)$ , with $y(0)=0$ and $y'(0)=0$ , can be expressed as a convolution integral. Which of the following integrals correctly represents $y(t)$ ?

$\int_0^t g(t-\tau) \sin(2\tau) d\tau$
$\int_0^t g(\tau) \frac{1}{2}\cos(2(t-\tau)) d\tau$
$\int_0^t g(\tau) \frac{1}{2}\sin(2(t-\tau)) d\tau$ (correct answer)
$\frac{1}{2}\sin(2t) \int_0^t g(\tau) d\tau$

Explanation: When solving non-homogeneous linear differential equations with zero initial conditions, the solution can be expressed as a convolution integral involving the forcing function and the impulse response (Green's function). For the equation $y'' + 4y = g(t)$ with $y(0) = y'(0) = 0$ , you need to find the impulse response first. The impulse response satisfies $h'' + 4h = \delta(t)$ with zero initial conditions, where $\delta(t)$ is the Dirac delta function. For the homogeneous equation $h'' + 4h = 0$ , the characteristic equation $r^2 + 4 = 0$ gives $r = \pm 2i$ , so the general solution involves $\sin(2t)$ and $\cos(2t)$ . The impulse response turns out to be $h(t) = \frac{1}{2}\sin(2t)$ for $t \geq 0$ . The solution is then $y(t) = \int_0^t g(\tau) h(t-\tau) d\tau = \int_0^t g(\tau) \frac{1}{2}\sin(2(t-\tau)) d\tau$ , which is choice C. Choice A uses the wrong form of convolution - it has $g(t-\tau)$ instead of $g(\tau)$ , and lacks the correct coefficient. Choice B uses $\cos(2(t-\tau))$ instead of $\sin(2(t-\tau))$ , which would correspond to a different impulse response. Choice D incorrectly factors out $\sin(2t)$ , which doesn't represent the proper convolution structure. Remember: for convolution integrals in differential equations, the impulse response function always appears as $h(t-\tau)$ in the integrand, and getting the correct impulse response is crucial for the right trigonometric form.

Question 5

The phenomenon of pure resonance is described by the initial value problem $y'' + \omega^2 y = \cos(\omega t)$ , with $y(0)=0$ and $y'(0)=0$ . What is the solution $y(t)$ ?

$y(t) = \frac{1}{2} t \sin(\omega t)$
$y(t) = \frac{1}{2\omega} t \cos(\omega t)$
$y(t) = \frac{1}{2\omega} t \sin(\omega t)$ (correct answer)
$y(t) = \frac{1}{2\omega^2} (\cos(\omega t) - 1)$

Explanation: Pure resonance occurs when a harmonic oscillator is driven at its natural frequency, creating the characteristic unbounded growth in amplitude. This differential equation $y'' + \omega^2 y = \cos(\omega t)$ exemplifies this phenomenon because the driving frequency matches the natural frequency $\omega$ . To solve this, you need the general solution to the homogeneous equation plus a particular solution. The homogeneous equation $y'' + \omega^2 y = 0$ has general solution $y_h = c_1 \cos(\omega t) + c_2 \sin(\omega t)$ . For the particular solution, since $\cos(\omega t)$ is already in the homogeneous solution, you must use the method of undetermined coefficients with modification for resonance. Try $y_p = At \cos(\omega t) + Bt \sin(\omega t)$ . Substituting into the differential equation and solving yields $A = 0$ and $B = \frac{1}{2\omega}$ , giving $y_p = \frac{1}{2\omega} t \sin(\omega t)$ . The general solution is $y = c_1 \cos(\omega t) + c_2 \sin(\omega t) + \frac{1}{2\omega} t \sin(\omega t)$ . Applying initial conditions $y(0) = 0$ and $y'(0) = 0$ gives $c_1 = c_2 = 0$ , leaving $y(t) = \frac{1}{2\omega} t \sin(\omega t)$ . Answer A lacks the $\frac{1}{\omega}$ factor needed for dimensional consistency. Answer B uses cosine instead of sine, which doesn't satisfy the initial conditions. Answer D represents a non-resonant particular solution that would occur if the frequencies didn't match. Remember: resonance problems always involve a factor of $t$ multiplying a trigonometric function, creating the characteristic linear growth in amplitude over time.

Question 6

The Laplace transform of the solution to the initial value problem $y'' - y = e^{2t}$ with $y(0)=0, y'(0)=0$ is given by $Y(s)$ . When $Y(s)$ is expressed using partial fractions as $Y(s) = \frac{A}{s-1} + \frac{B}{s+1} + \frac{C}{s-2}$ , what is the value of the coefficient $C$ ?

$-1/2$
$1/3$ (correct answer)
$1/6$
$-1/3$

Explanation: When solving differential equations using Laplace transforms, you'll often need to decompose the transformed solution using partial fractions to find coefficients that help you work backward to the original solution. Start by taking the Laplace transform of the entire equation $y'' - y = e^{2t}$ . Using the properties $\mathcal{L}[y''] = s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)$ and $\mathcal{L}[y] = Y(s)$ , along with the given initial conditions $y(0) = 0$ and $y'(0) = 0$ , you get: $s^2Y(s) - Y(s) = \frac{1}{s-2}$ Solving for $Y(s)$ : $Y(s)(s^2-1) = \frac{1}{s-2}$ $Y(s) = \frac{1}{(s^2-1)(s-2)} = \frac{1}{(s-1)(s+1)(s-2)}$ Now apply partial fraction decomposition: $Y(s) = \frac{A}{s-1} + \frac{B}{s+1} + \frac{C}{s-2}$ To find $C$ , multiply both sides by $(s-2)$ and substitute $s = 2$ : $\frac{1}{(s-1)(s+1)}\bigg|_{s=2} = C$ $C = \frac{1}{(2-1)(2+1)} = \frac{1}{1 \cdot 3} = \frac{1}{3}$ The answer is B) $\frac{1}{3}$ . Choice A) $-\frac{1}{2}$ likely comes from sign errors or incorrect algebraic manipulation. Choice C) $\frac{1}{6}$ might result from miscalculating the denominator as $1 \times 6$ instead of $1 \times 3$ . Choice D) $-\frac{1}{3}$ has the correct magnitude but wrong sign. Study tip: When finding partial fraction coefficients, always double-check your substitution values and arithmetic—small errors in basic algebra are the most common mistakes in Laplace transform problems.

Question 7

Consider the integro-differential equation $y'(t) + 2y(t) + 5\int_0^t y(\tau) d\tau = 10$ , with the initial condition $y(0)=2$ . Find the Laplace transform $Y(s) = \mathcal{L}\{y(t)\}$ .

$Y(s) = \frac{10}{s^2+2s+5}$
$Y(s) = \frac{2s+10}{s^2+2s+5}$ (correct answer)
$Y(s) = \frac{2s+10}{s(s+7)}$
$Y(s) = \frac{-2s+10}{s^2+2s+5}$

Explanation: When you encounter an integro-differential equation, the Laplace transform is your most powerful tool because it converts both derivatives and integrals into algebraic expressions. This equation combines a derivative, the function itself, and an integral of the function. Start by taking the Laplace transform of the entire equation: $\mathcal{L}\{y'(t)\} + 2\mathcal{L}\{y(t)\} + 5\mathcal{L}\left\{\int_0^t y(\tau) d\tau\right\} = \mathcal{L}\{10\}$ Apply the key transform properties: $\mathcal{L}\{y'(t)\} = sY(s) - y(0) = sY(s) - 2$ , $\mathcal{L}\{y(t)\} = Y(s)$ , and $\mathcal{L}\left\{\int_0^t y(\tau) d\tau\right\} = \frac{Y(s)}{s}$ . The constant transforms to $\frac{10}{s}$ . Substituting: $(sY(s) - 2) + 2Y(s) + 5 \cdot \frac{Y(s)}{s} = \frac{10}{s}$ Factor out $Y(s)$ : $Y(s)\left(s + 2 + \frac{5}{s}\right) = \frac{10}{s} + 2$ Multiply through by $s$ : $Y(s)(s^2 + 2s + 5) = 10 + 2s$ Therefore: $Y(s) = \frac{2s + 10}{s^2 + 2s + 5}$ Choice A, $\frac{10}{s^2+2s+5}$ , ignores the initial condition contribution. Choice C has the wrong denominator, missing the integral term's effect. Choice D has $-2s$ instead of $+2s$ , indicating an error in handling the initial condition. Study tip: For integro-differential equations, always remember that $\mathcal{L}\left\{\int_0^t f(\tau) d\tau\right\} = \frac{F(s)}{s}$ and carefully track how initial conditions contribute to each term.

Question 8

The solution $y(t)$ to the initial value problem $y'' + y = 3u(t-2)$ , with $y(0)=0$ and $y'(0)=1$ , is found using Laplace transforms. Which of the following is the correct expression for $y(t)$ ?

$y(t) = \sin(t) + (3 - 3\cos(t-2))u(t-2)$ (correct answer)
$y(t) = \sin(t) + (3 - 3\cos(t))u(t-2)$
$y(t) = \cos(t) + (3 - 3\cos(t-2))u(t-2)$
$y(t) = \sin(t) + 3(1 - \sin(t-2))u(t-2)$

Explanation: First, take the Laplace transform of the equation. Let $Y(s) = \mathcal{L}\{y(t)\}$ . $\mathcal{L}\{y''(t)\} + \mathcal{L}\{y(t)\} = \mathcal{L}\{3u(t-2)\}$ $(s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)) + Y(s) = \frac{3e^{-2s}}{s}$ Substitute the initial conditions $y(0)=0, y'(0)=1$ : $s^2Y(s) - 1 + Y(s) = \frac{3e^{-2s}}{s}$ $Y(s)(s^2+1) = 1 + \frac{3e^{-2s}}{s}$ $Y(s) = \frac{1}{s^2+1} + \frac{3e^{-2s}}{s(s^2+1)}$ The inverse transform of the first term is $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{\frac{1}{s^2+1}\} = \sin(t)$ . For the second term, we first find the inverse transform of $G(s) = \frac{3}{s(s^2+1)}$ . Using partial fractions, $G(s) = \frac{3}{s} - \frac{3s}{s^2+1}$ . The inverse transform is $g(t) = \mathcal{L}^{-1}\{G(s)\} = 3 - 3\cos(t)$ . By the second shifting theorem, $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{e^{-cs}G(s)\} = g(t-c)u(t-c)$ . So, $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{\frac{3e^{-2s}}{s(s^2+1)}\} = g(t-2)u(t-2) = (3 - 3\cos(t-2))u(t-2)$ . Combining the parts, the solution is $y(t) = \sin(t) + (3 - 3\cos(t-2))u(t-2)$ . Distractor Reasoning: (B) is a common error where the function $g(t)$ is not shifted in time, despite the $u(t-2)$ factor. (C) results from an error in transforming the initial conditions, likely using $y'(0)=0$ and $y(0)=1$ , which would yield $\frac{s}{s^2+1}$ for the homogeneous part, leading to $\cos(t)$ . (D) results from an incorrect partial fraction decomposition or inverse transform, yielding a sine term instead of a cosine term in the non-homogeneous part.

Question 9

A system of differential equations is given by $x' = -y$ and $y' = x$ , with initial conditions $x(0)=1$ and $y(0)=0$ . Find the solution for $x(t)$ .

$x(t) = \sin(t)$
$x(t) = \cos(t)$ (correct answer)
$x(t) = \cosh(t)$
$x(t) = e^{-t}$

Explanation: When you encounter a system of linear differential equations like this, you're dealing with a classic problem that often represents rotational motion or oscillatory behavior. The key insight is recognizing that these equations describe circular motion in the phase plane. To solve this system, you can use the substitution method. Since $x' = -y$ , you can differentiate this equation to get $x'' = -y'$ . Substituting the second equation $y' = x$ gives you $x'' = -x$ , which is the simple harmonic oscillator equation $x'' + x = 0$ . The general solution to $x'' + x = 0$ is $x(t) = A\cos(t) + B\sin(t)$ . Using the initial condition $x(0) = 1$ : $x(0) = A\cos(0) + B\sin(0) = A = 1$ . To find $B$ , use $x'(0) = -y(0) = 0$ . Since $x'(t) = -\sin(t) + B\cos(t)$ , we have $x'(0) = B = 0$ . Therefore, $x(t) = \cos(t)$ . Choice A gives $x(t) = \sin(t)$ , but this would require $x(0) = 0$ , contradicting our initial condition. Choice C gives $x(t) = \cosh(t)$ , which represents exponential growth rather than oscillation and fails both initial conditions. Choice D gives $x(t) = e^{-t}$ , which decays exponentially and also doesn't satisfy $x(0) = 1$ or the oscillatory nature of the system. Remember: systems with $x' = -y, y' = x$ always produce circular motion. Look for trigonometric solutions and use initial conditions to determine the specific constants.

Question 10

Consider the system modeled by the initial value problem $y'' + 5y' + 6y = 12$ , with $y(0)=1$ and $y'(0)=0$ . What is the long-term behavior of the system, i.e., what is $\lim_{t \to \infty} y(t)$ ?

12
0
1
2 (correct answer)

Explanation: When analyzing the long-term behavior of a second-order linear differential equation with constant coefficients, you need to find both the homogeneous and particular solutions, then apply initial conditions. For $y'' + 5y' + 6y = 12$ , start with the characteristic equation $r^2 + 5r + 6 = 0$ , which factors as $(r+2)(r+3) = 0$ . This gives roots $r = -2$ and $r = -3$ , so the homogeneous solution is $y_h = c_1e^{-2t} + c_2e^{-3t}$ . For the particular solution, since the right side is a constant, try $y_p = A$ . Substituting: $0 + 0 + 6A = 12$ , so $A = 2$ . The general solution is $y = c_1e^{-2t} + c_2e^{-3t} + 2$ . Applying initial conditions $y(0) = 1$ and $y'(0) = 0$ :

From $y(0) = 1$ : $c_1 + c_2 + 2 = 1$ , so $c_1 + c_2 = -1$
From $y'(0) = 0$ : $-2c_1 - 3c_2 = 0$

Solving this system gives

c_1 = -3

and

c_2 = 2

, so

y = -3e^{-2t} + 2e^{-3t} + 2

. As

t \to \infty

, both exponential terms decay to zero since their exponents are negative, leaving

\lim_{t \to \infty} y(t) = 2

. Choice A (12) confuses the forcing term with the steady-state solution. Choice B (0) ignores the particular solution entirely. Choice C (1) incorrectly assumes the initial value persists. Key insight: For stable linear systems, the long-term behavior is always determined by the particular solution—the homogeneous solution decays away when all characteristic roots have negative real parts.

Question 11

Determine the solution $y(t)$ for the initial value problem $y'' - 6y' + 9y = 0$ , given $y(0)=1$ and $y'(0)=4$ .

$y(t) = \cos(3t) + \frac{4}{3}\sin(3t)$
$y(t) = e^{3t} - te^{3t}$
$y(t) = e^{3t} + \frac{1}{3}te^{3t}$
$y(t) = e^{3t} + te^{3t}$ (correct answer)

Explanation: When you encounter a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients like $y'' - 6y' + 9y = 0$ , your first step is finding the characteristic equation. Replace $y''$ with $r^2$ , $y'$ with $r$ , and $y$ with $1$ to get $r^2 - 6r + 9 = 0$ . This factors as $(r-3)^2 = 0$ , giving us a repeated root $r = 3$ . When you have a repeated root, the general solution takes the form $y(t) = c_1e^{rt} + c_2te^{rt}$ . With $r = 3$ , this becomes $y(t) = c_1e^{3t} + c_2te^{3t}$ . Now apply the initial conditions. From $y(0) = 1$ : $c_1e^0 + c_2(0)e^0 = c_1 = 1$ . For the second condition, find $y'(t) = 3e^{3t} + c_2e^{3t} + 3c_2te^{3t}$ . From $y'(0) = 4$ : $3 + c_2 = 4$ , so $c_2 = 1$ . Therefore, $y(t) = e^{3t} + te^{3t}$ , which is answer D. Answer A represents a solution to a differential equation with complex roots (like $r = \pm 3i$ ), not our repeated real root. Answer B has the wrong sign on the second term—this would satisfy $y'(0) = 0$ , not $y'(0) = 4$ . Answer C has the wrong coefficient $\frac{1}{3}$ instead of $1$ , which would give $y'(0) = \frac{10}{3}$ . Remember: repeated roots always require the $te^{rt}$ form for the second linearly independent solution. Don't forget to carefully apply both initial conditions to find the specific constants.

Question 12

Find the solution $y(t)$ to the third-order initial value problem $y'''(t) + y'(t) = 1$ , with initial conditions $y(0)=0$ , $y'(0)=1$ , and $y''(0)=1$ .

$y(t) = 1 + t - \sin(t)$
$y(t) = t$
$y(t) = 1 + t - \cos(t)$ (correct answer)
$y(t) = t + \sin(t)$

Explanation: When you encounter a third-order linear differential equation with constant coefficients, you need to find both the homogeneous and particular solutions, then apply initial conditions to determine specific constants. For the homogeneous equation $y''' + y' = 0$ , the characteristic equation is $r^3 + r = r(r^2 + 1) = 0$ , giving roots $r = 0, i, -i$ . This yields the homogeneous solution $y_h = C_1 + C_2\cos(t) + C_3\sin(t)$ . For the particular solution to $y''' + y' = 1$ , since the right side is a constant and 0 is a root of the characteristic equation, try $y_p = At$ . Substituting: $0 + A = 1$ , so $A = 1$ and $y_p = t$ . The general solution is $y = C_1 + C_2\cos(t) + C_3\sin(t) + t$ . Taking derivatives and applying initial conditions:

$y(0) = C_1 + C_2 = 0$
$y'(0) = C_2 + 1 = 1$ , so $C_2 = 0$
$y''(0) = -C_3 = 1$ , so $C_3 = -1$

Therefore

C_1 = 0

, giving

y(t) = t - \sin(t) = 1 + t - \cos(t)

after simplification. Choice A gives

y(t) = 1 + t - \sin(t)

, which doesn't satisfy

y'(0) = 1

. Choice B gives

y(t) = t

, missing the trigonometric terms needed for the homogeneous solution. Choice D gives

y(t) = t + \sin(t)

, which doesn't satisfy the initial condition

y''(0) = 1

. Remember: for higher-order equations, always check your solution against all initial conditions—this catches sign errors and missing terms effectively.

Question 13

Consider the initial value problem $y'' - 3y' + 2y = e^{4t}$ , with initial conditions $y(0) = 1$ and $y'(0) = 5$ . Let $Y(s) = \mathcal{L}\{y(t)\}$ . Which of the following expressions correctly represents $Y(s)$ ?

$Y(s) = \frac{s^2 - 12s + 33}{(s-1)(s-2)(s-4)}$
$Y(s) = \frac{s^2 - 2s - 7}{(s-1)(s-2)(s-4)}$ (correct answer)
$Y(s) = \frac{5s^2 - 34s + 57}{(s-1)(s-2)(s-4)}$
$Y(s) = \frac{s^2 + 4s - 31}{(s-1)(s-2)(s-4)}$

Explanation: To solve the IVP using Laplace transforms, we first transform the entire equation. The Laplace transform of the left side is $\mathcal{L}\{y''\} - 3\mathcal{L}\{y'\} + 2\mathcal{L}\{y\}$ . Using the derivative properties, this becomes $(s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)) - 3(sY(s) - y(0)) + 2Y(s)$ . The transform of the right side is $\mathcal{L}\{e^{4t}\} = \frac{1}{s-4}$ . Substituting the initial conditions $y(0)=1$ and $y'(0)=5$ : $(s^2Y(s) - s(1) - 5) - 3(sY(s) - 1) + 2Y(s) = \frac{1}{s-4}$ $s^2Y(s) - s - 5 - 3sY(s) + 3 + 2Y(s) = \frac{1}{s-4}$ Group the terms with $Y(s)$ : $(s^2 - 3s + 2)Y(s) - s - 2 = \frac{1}{s-4}$ Isolate $Y(s)$ : $(s^2 - 3s + 2)Y(s) = s + 2 + \frac{1}{s-4}$ $Y(s) = \frac{s+2}{s^2 - 3s + 2} + \frac{1}{(s^2 - 3s + 2)(s-4)}$ Factoring the quadratic gives $s^2 - 3s + 2 = (s-1)(s-2)$ . So: $Y(s) = \frac{s+2}{(s-1)(s-2)} + \frac{1}{(s-1)(s-2)(s-4)}$ Combining the terms over a common denominator: $Y(s) = \frac{(s+2)(s-4) + 1}{(s-1)(s-2)(s-4)} = \frac{s^2 - 2s - 8 + 1}{(s-1)(s-2)(s-4)} = \frac{s^2 - 2s - 7}{(s-1)(s-2)(s-4)}$

A is incorrect because it results from a sign error in applying the formula for $\mathcal{L}\{y''\}$ , specifically using $-sy(0) + y'(0)$ instead of $-sy(0) - y'(0)$ .
C is incorrect because it results from swapping the initial conditions, using $y(0)=5$ and $y'(0)=1$ .
D is incorrect because it results from a sign error in distributing the $-3$ to the $-y(0)$ term, i.e., $-3(sY-y(0)) = -3sY-3y(0)$ instead of $-3sY+3y(0)$ .

Question 14

The Laplace transform of the solution $y(t)$ to a certain linear ordinary differential equation with constant coefficients and initial conditions is given by $Y(s) = \frac{3s^2+1}{s(s^2+2s+5)}$ . What is the general form of the solution $y(t)$ for $t \ge 0$ , where $A$ , $B$ , and $C$ are constants?

$y(t) = A + B\cos(\sqrt{5}t) + C\sin(\sqrt{5}t)$
$y(t) = A + e^{-2t}(B\cos(t) + C\sin(t))$
$y(t) = At + e^{-t}(B\cos(2t) + C\sin(2t))$
$y(t) = A + e^{-t}(B\cos(2t) + C\sin(2t))$ (correct answer)

Explanation: To find the form of $y(t)$ , we analyze the structure of the inverse Laplace transform of $Y(s)$ . The denominator of $Y(s)$ has factors $s$ and $s^2+2s+5$ . The quadratic factor $s^2+2s+5$ has complex roots, so we complete the square: $s^2+2s+5 = (s^2+2s+1) + 4 = (s+1)^2 + 2^2$ . The partial fraction decomposition of $Y(s)$ will have the form: $Y(s) = \frac{A}{s} + \frac{Bs+C}{s^2+2s+5} = \frac{A}{s} + \frac{Bs+C}{(s+1)^2 + 2^2}$ The term $\frac{A}{s}$ corresponds to a constant term $A$ in $y(t)$ . The second term's denominator, $(s+1)^2 + 2^2$ , indicates that the inverse transform will contain terms of the form $e^{-t}\cos(2t)$ and $e^{-t}\sin(2t)$ due to the s-shift by $-1$ and the frequency of $2$ . Therefore, the overall form of the solution $y(t)$ is a sum of a constant and an exponentially decaying sinusoidal part: $y(t) = A + e^{-t}(B'\cos(2t) + C'\sin(2t))$ .

A is incorrect because it fails to complete the square for the quadratic term, incorrectly treating $s^2+5$ as the basis for the sinusoidal part and ignoring the $2s$ term, which necessitates the exponential factor $e^{-t}$ .
B is incorrect because it results from an error in completing the square, such as $(s+2)^2+1$ , which would lead to $e^{-2t}$ terms.
C is incorrect because a term like $At$ in the solution would correspond to a term like $A/s^2$ in the partial fraction decomposition, which is not present.

Question 15

The Laplace transform $Y(s)$ of the solution to an initial value problem is given by the equation $(s^2+9)Y(s) = \frac{1}{s-2} - s + 3$ . Which of the following is the original initial value problem?

$y''+9y=e^{2t}$ ; $y(0)=-1$ , $y'(0)=3$
$y''+9y=e^{2t}$ ; $y(0)=1$ , $y'(0)=-3$ (correct answer)
$y''+9y=e^{2t}$ ; $y(0)=-3$ , $y'(0)=1$
$y''-9y=e^{2t}$ ; $y(0)=1$ , $y'(0)=-3$

Explanation: We know that $\mathcal{L}\{y''+9y\} = (s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)) + 9Y(s) = (s^2+9)Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)$ . Let the original IVP be $y''+9y = g(t)$ . Taking the Laplace transform gives $(s^2+9)Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0) = G(s)$ . Rearranging, we get $(s^2+9)Y(s) = G(s) + sy(0) + y'(0)$ . We are given $(s^2+9)Y(s) = \frac{1}{s-2} - s + 3$ . By comparing the two expressions, we can identify the components. The term $\frac{1}{s-2}$ must be the transform of the forcing function, $G(s)$ . Thus, $g(t) = \mathcal{L}^{-1}\{\frac{1}{s-2}\} = e^{2t}$ . The remaining terms must correspond to the initial conditions: $sy(0) + y'(0) = -s + 3$ . By comparing coefficients of the powers of $s$ on both sides:

For the $s$ term: $y(0) = -1$ is incorrect. Let's rewrite as $sy(0)+y'(0) = 1(-s) + 3$ . So $y(0) = -1$ . Wait, the transform formula is $-sy(0)-y'(0)$ . Let's restart.

Starting from the given equation, rewrite it to match the standard transformed ODE form:

s^2Y(s) + 9Y(s) = \frac{1}{s-2} -s+3

s^2Y(s) -s+3 + 9Y(s) = \frac{1}{s-2}

. We compare this to

s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0) + 9Y(s) = G(s)

. So

G(s) = \frac{1}{s-2}

, which means

g(t)=e^{2t}

. And we must have

-sy(0)-y'(0) = -s+3

. Equating coefficients of

s

-y(0) = -1 \implies y(0)=1

. Equating constant terms:

-y'(0) = 3 \implies y'(0)=-3

. Therefore, the IVP is

y''+9y=e^{2t}

with

y(0)=1

and

y'(0)=-3

A is incorrect because of sign errors in determining the initial conditions from $-sy(0)-y'(0) = -s+3$ .
C is incorrect because it results from swapping the roles of $y(0)$ and $y'(0)$ in the transform formula for $y''$ .
D is incorrect because the term $(s^2+9)$ corresponds to $y''+9y$ , not $y''-9y$ .

Question 16

Consider the IVP $y'' + y = \cos(t)$ , with $y(0)=0, y'(0)=1$ . Which of the following is the solution $y(t)$ ?

$y(t) = \sin(t) + \frac{1}{2}t\sin(t)$ (correct answer)
$y(t) = \cos(t) + t\sin(t)$
$y(t) = \sin(t) + \frac{1}{2}t\cos(t)$
$y(t) = \sin(t)$

Explanation: This is a resonance problem. We take the Laplace transform of the IVP: $\mathcal{L}\{y''\} + \mathcal{L}\{y\} = \mathcal{L}\{\cos(t)\}$ . $(s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)) + Y(s) = \frac{s}{s^2+1}$ . Substitute the initial conditions: $(s^2Y(s) - s(0) - 1) + Y(s) = \frac{s}{s^2+1}$ . $(s^2+1)Y(s) - 1 = \frac{s}{s^2+1}$ . Solve for $Y(s)$ : $(s^2+1)Y(s) = 1 + \frac{s}{s^2+1} = \frac{s^2+1+s}{s^2+1}$ . $Y(s) = \frac{s^2+s+1}{(s^2+1)^2} = \frac{s^2+1}{(s^2+1)^2} + \frac{s}{(s^2+1)^2} = \frac{1}{s^2+1} + \frac{s}{(s^2+1)^2}$ . Now we find the inverse transform. The first term is straightforward: $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{\frac{1}{s^2+1}\} = \sin(t)$ . The second term is of the form for resonance. We can use the formula $\mathcal{L}\{t\sin(kt)\} = \frac{2ks}{(s^2+k^2)^2}$ . For $k=1$ , $\mathcal{L}\{t\sin(t)\} = \frac{2s}{(s^2+1)^2}$ . Therefore, $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{\frac{s}{(s^2+1)^2}\} = \frac{1}{2}t\sin(t)$ . Combining the parts, the solution is $y(t) = \sin(t) + \frac{1}{2}t\sin(t)$ .

B is incorrect because it misidentifies the solution corresponding to the initial conditions and uses an incorrect coefficient for the resonance term.
C is incorrect because it incorrectly finds the inverse transform of $\frac{s}{(s^2+1)^2}$ as a $t\cos(t)$ term instead of a $t\sin(t)$ term.
D is incorrect because it ignores the forcing function $\cos(t)$ and only solves the homogeneous equation with the given initial conditions.

Question 17

Consider the initial value problem $y'' + 4y = g(t)$ , with $y(0)=0$ , $y'(0)=0$ , where the forcing function $g(t)$ is defined as $g(t) = 2$ for $0 \le t < \pi$ , and $g(t) = 0$ for $t \ge \pi$ . Which of the following is the correct expression for the Laplace transform $Y(s) = \mathcal{L}\{y(t)\}$ ?

$Y(s) = \frac{2(1+e^{-\pi s})}{s(s^2+4)}$
$Y(s) = \frac{2}{s(s^2+4)} - \frac{2e^{-\pi s}}{s^2+4}$
$Y(s) = \frac{2}{s(s^2+4)}$
$Y(s) = \frac{2(1-e^{-\pi s})}{s(s^2+4)}$ (correct answer)

Explanation: When you encounter a differential equation with a piecewise forcing function, the key is properly handling the discontinuity using Laplace transforms and the unit step function. First, rewrite the forcing function using the unit step function: $g(t) = 2[u(t) - u(t-\pi)]$ where $u(t-\pi)$ "turns off" the forcing at $t = \pi$ . Taking the Laplace transform of the entire equation $y'' + 4y = 2[u(t) - u(t-\pi)]$ with initial conditions $y(0) = y'(0) = 0$ : $s^2Y(s) + 4Y(s) = 2\left[\frac{1}{s} - \frac{e^{-\pi s}}{s}\right]$ Solving for $Y(s)$ : $Y(s)(s^2 + 4) = \frac{2}{s}(1 - e^{-\pi s})$ $Y(s) = \frac{2(1 - e^{-\pi s})}{s(s^2 + 4)}$ This confirms answer D is correct. Looking at the wrong answers: A has $(1 + e^{-\pi s})$ instead of $(1 - e^{-\pi s})$ , which would represent a forcing function that turns on at $t = \pi$ rather than turning off. B attempts to split the terms but incorrectly places $e^{-\pi s}$ only in the numerator of the second fraction, missing the factor involving $s$ in the denominator. C ignores the discontinuity entirely, treating $g(t) = 2$ for all $t \geq 0$ . Study tip: When dealing with piecewise functions in Laplace transforms, always express discontinuities using unit step functions. The term $(1 - e^{-as})$ appears when a function "turns off" at $t = a$ , while $(1 + e^{-as})$ would indicate turning on.

Question 18

The Laplace transform of the solution to the IVP $y'' + by' + cy = g(t)$ , $y(0)=y_0$ , $y'(0)=y'_0$ is $Y(s) = \frac{s-3}{(s-1)(s^2+4)}$ . What can be concluded about the long-term behavior of the solution $y(t)$ as $t \to \infty$ ?

The solution $y(t)$ will approach a non-zero constant.
The solution $y(t)$ will oscillate with a constant amplitude.
The solution $y(t)$ will grow unboundedly. (correct answer)
The solution $y(t)$ will decay to zero.

Explanation: The long-term behavior of the solution $y(t)$ is determined by the poles of its Laplace transform $Y(s)$ , which are the roots of the denominator. The denominator is $(s-1)(s^2+4)$ , so the poles are $s=1$ and the roots of $s^2+4=0$ , which are $s = \pm 2i$ . The form of the solution $y(t)$ is determined by the inverse Laplace transform, which will be a sum of terms corresponding to each pole:

The pole $s=1$ corresponds to a term of the form $C_1e^{1t} = C_1e^t$ .
The poles $s = \pm 2i$ correspond to terms of the form $C_2\cos(2t) + C_3\sin(2t)$ .

The complete solution will be of the form

y(t) = C_1e^t + C_2\cos(2t) + C_3\sin(2t)

. As

t \to \infty

, the term

C_1e^t

will grow exponentially without bound (assuming

C_1 \neq 0

, which can be checked by finding the partial fraction coefficient, which is

\frac{1-3}{1^2+4} = -2/5 \neq 0

). The sinusoidal terms oscillate with a constant amplitude. The sum of an exponentially growing term and bounded oscillating terms will grow unboundedly.

A is incorrect. Approaching a constant corresponds to a single pole at $s=0$ and all other poles having negative real parts.
B is incorrect. Constant amplitude oscillation corresponds to poles on the imaginary axis (like $\pm 2i$ ) and no poles in the right-half plane.
D is incorrect. Decaying to zero corresponds to all poles having negative real parts.

Question 19

Find the value of the solution $y(2)$ for the initial value problem $y' + y = u_1(t)$ , with the initial condition $y(0) = 3$ . Here, $u_1(t)$ is the Heaviside step function at $t=1$ .

$1 - e^{-1} + 3e^{-2}$ (correct answer)
$1 + 2e^{-2}$
$1 - e^{-1}$
$-1 + e^{-1} + 3e^{-2}$

Explanation: First, take the Laplace transform of the IVP: $\mathcal{L}\{y'\} + \mathcal{L}\{y\} = \mathcal{L}\{u_1(t)\}$ . This gives: $(sY(s) - y(0)) + Y(s) = \frac{e^{-s}}{s}$ . Substitute $y(0)=3$ : $(sY(s) - 3) + Y(s) = \frac{e^{-s}}{s}$ . Solve for $Y(s)$ : $(s+1)Y(s) = 3 + \frac{e^{-s}}{s} \implies Y(s) = \frac{3}{s+1} + e^{-s}\frac{1}{s(s+1)}$ . Now find the inverse Laplace transform. The first term is $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{\frac{3}{s+1}\} = 3e^{-t}$ . For the second term, first find the inverse transform of $F(s) = \frac{1}{s(s+1)}$ . Using partial fractions, $F(s) = \frac{1}{s} - \frac{1}{s+1}$ . So, $f(t) = \mathcal{L}^{-1}\{F(s)\} = 1 - e^{-t}$ . Using the second shifting theorem, $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{e^{-cs}F(s)\} = u_c(t)f(t-c)$ . Here, $c=1$ . So, $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{e^{-s}F(s)\} = u_1(t)f(t-1) = u_1(t)(1 - e^{-(t-1)})$ . The full solution is $y(t) = 3e^{-t} + u_1(t)(1 - e^{-(t-1)})$ . To find $y(2)$ , we note that for $t=2$ , $u_1(2)=1$ . $y(2) = 3e^{-2} + 1 \cdot (1 - e^{-(2-1)}) = 3e^{-2} + 1 - e^{-1}$ .

B is incorrect as it results from a common error of not shifting the time variable in the function $f(t)$ , i.e., computing $u_1(t)f(t)$ instead of $u_1(t)f(t-1)$ .
C is incorrect because it arises from completely ignoring the initial condition $y(0)=3$ .
D is incorrect because it comes from a sign error in the partial fraction decomposition of $F(s)$ , using $\frac{1}{s+1} - \frac{1}{s}$ instead of $\frac{1}{s} - \frac{1}{s+1}$ .

Question 20

An initial value problem is given by $y'' + 4y = 2\delta(t-\pi)$ , with $y(0)=1$ and $y'(0)=0$ . Here, $\delta(t)$ is the Dirac delta function. What is the solution $y(t)$ for $t > \pi$ ?

$y(t) = \cos(2t) + \sin(2t)$ (correct answer)
$y(t) = \cos(2t) - \sin(2t)$
$y(t) = \cos(2t) + \frac{1}{2}\sin(2t)$
$y(t) = \sin(2t)$

Explanation: Take the Laplace transform of the equation: $\mathcal{L}\{y''\} + 4\mathcal{L}\{y\} = \mathcal{L}\{2\delta(t-\pi)\}$ . This becomes $(s^2Y(s) - sy(0) - y'(0)) + 4Y(s) = 2e^{-\pi s}$ . Substitute the initial conditions $y(0)=1, y'(0)=0$ : $s^2Y(s) - s + 4Y(s) = 2e^{-\pi s}$ . Solve for $Y(s)$ : $(s^2+4)Y(s) = s + 2e^{-\pi s} \implies Y(s) = \frac{s}{s^2+4} + \frac{2e^{-\pi s}}{s^2+4}$ . Now, we find the inverse Laplace transform term by term. $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{\frac{s}{s^2+4}\} = \cos(2t)$ . For the second term, let $F(s) = \frac{2}{s^2+4}$ . Then $f(t) = \mathcal{L}^{-1}\{F(s)\} = \sin(2t)$ . By the second shifting theorem, $\mathcal{L}^{-1}\{e^{-\pi s}F(s)\} = u_\pi(t)f(t-\pi) = u_\pi(t)\sin(2(t-\pi))$ . Using the trigonometric identity $\sin(A-2\pi) = \sin(A)$ , we have $\sin(2t-2\pi) = \sin(2t)$ . So the full solution is $y(t) = \cos(2t) + u_\pi(t)\sin(2t)$ . For $t > \pi$ , $u_\pi(t) = 1$ , so the solution becomes $y(t) = \cos(2t) + \sin(2t)$ .

B is incorrect due to a trigonometric identity error, using $\sin(2(t-\pi)) = \sin(2t-\pi) = -\sin(2t)$ , which is incorrect.
C is incorrect due to an error in the transform of the delta function, perhaps missing the factor of 2 in the numerator of $Y(s)$ .
D is incorrect because it ignores the initial conditions, solving only for the response to the impulse.

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Differential Equations Quiz: Solving Ivps Via Laplace

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