MECE 6384

Assignment 8

Spring 2015

Graded assignments are due on April 24, Friday.

Each question carries 10 points.
1. Determine whether the following can be written as functions of p = x2 + 2y only, and
hence whether they are solutions of
u
u
=x
x
y
We first verify that any function of p = x2 + 2y will satisfy the given equation. Using
chain rule, we have the LHS as
LHS =

u
u p
u
=
= 2x
x
p x
p

and the RHS as

u p
u
u
=x
= 2x
= LHS
y
p y
p
Thus, the equation is satisfied for any function u(x, y) = f (p).
x

(a) Substituting y = 12 (p x2 ) we get

u(x, y) = x2 (x2 4) + 4y(x2 2) + 4(y 2 1) = p2 4p 4 = f (p)
(b) Substituting x2 = p 2y, we get
u(x, y) = x4 + 2x2 y + y 2 = (p 2y)2 + 2y(p 2y) + y 2 = (p y)2 6= f (p)
2. Find PDEs satisfied by the following functions u(x, y) for all arbitrary functions f and
all arbitrary constants a and b:
In each case, we need to generate enough partial derivatives of u that the arbitrary
functions and constants can be eliminated by re-substitution.
(a) u(x, y) = (x a)2 + (y b)2
u
u
= 2(x a),
= 2(y b)
x
y

u
x

2


+

u
y

2
= 4u

(b) u(x, y) = y n f (y/x)

u
y
y n+1
= ynf 0
= 2 f0
x
x x
x
y
u

yn
= ny n1 f + y n f 0
= ny n1 f + f 0
y
y x
x
0
Substituting for f and f from the first two equations into the third one we get,
u
u
y n x2 u
= ny n1 n
y
y
x y n+1 x
On simplifying we get
x

u
u
+y
= nu
x
y

3. Find the most general solution u(x, y) of the following equation consistent with the
boundary conditions stated:
u
u
+ cos x cos y
= 0, with u = cos 2y on x + y = /2.
(a) sin x sin y
x
y
dx
dy
=
sin x sin y
cos x cos y

cos xdx
sin ydy
=
sin x
cos y

ln(sin x) = ln(cos y) + c sin x cos y = p

On x + y = /2, u(x, y) = cos 2y and p = sin( 2 y) cos y = cos2 y. Thus,
u(

y, y) = cos 2y f (cos2 y) = cos 2y = 2 cos2 y 1

2
f (p) = 2p 1 u(x, y) = 2 sin x cos y 1

(b)

1 u 1 u
+
= 0, with u(0, y) = y.
x x y y
dy
dx
= 1
1
x
y

x2 y 2 = p

Using the boundary condition, we have

u(0, y) = y f (0 y 2 ) = y f (p) = (p)1/2
u(x, y) = (y 2 x2 )1/2
u
u
x
= 3x, with u = x2 on the line y = 0. The general solution to the
x
y
homogeneous equation is of the form u(x, y) = f (p) where p is obtained as
(c) y

dx
dy
=
y
x

x2 + y 2 = p

A simple particular integral is up (x, y) = 3y. Thus, the general solution to the
inhomogeneous equation is
u(x, y) = f (x2 + y 2 ) 3y
Using the boundary condition, we have
u(x, 0) = x2 = p f (p) = p u(x, y) = x2 + y 2 3y
4. If u(x, y) satisfies the PDE
2u
2u
2u

3
+
2
=0
x2
xy
y 2

and the BCs u(x, 0) = x2 and

u
(x, 0), find the value of u(0, 1). Determine the type
y

of the PDE.
B 2 4AC = (3)2 4(1)(2) = 1 > 0 Hyperbolic
We look for solutions of the form u(x, y) = f (x + y) where satisfies
1
1 3 + 22 = 0 1 = , 2 = 1
2
Thus,
1
u(x, y) = f (x + y) + g(x + y) = f (p1 ) + g(p2 )
2
Using the first boundary condition, we have
x2 = u(x, 0) = f (x) + g(x)

(1)

Note that when y = 0, p1 = p2 = x. Using the first boundary condition, we get

0=

u
1
(x, 0) = f 0 (x) + g 0 (x)
y
2

(2)

2x = f 0 (x) + g 0 (x)

(3)

Differentiating equation (1),

Solving (2) and (3), we get
f 0 (x) = 4x f (x) = 2x2 + c
Substituting this in (1) we get
g(x) = x2 c
1
1
u(x, y) = f (p1 ) + g(p2 ) = 2(x + y)2 + (x + y)2 = x2 + y 2
2
2
Note that the arbitrary constant of integration c gets eliminated in the final solution.
Finally,
1
u(0, 1) =
2
5. Solve

2u
2u
2u
6 2 5
+
= 14
x
xy y 2

subject to u = 2x + 1 and

u
= 4 6x, both on the line y = 0. Determine the type
y

of the PDE.
B 2 4AC = (5)2 4(6)(1) = 1 > 0 Hyperbolic

We look for solutions of the form u(x, y) = f (x + y) where satisfies

6 5 + 2 = 0 1 = 2, 2 = 3
A simple particular integral is u(x, y) = 7y 2 . Thus, the general solution is
u(x, y) = f (x + 2y) + g(x + 3y) + 7y 2
Imposing the given boundary conditions, we have
2x + 1 = u(x, 0) = f (x) + g(x)
4 6x =

(4)

u
(x, 0) = 2f 0 (x) + 3g 0 (x)
y

(5)

2 = f 0 (x) + g 0 (x)

(6)

Differentiating (4) gives

Solving (5) and (6), we get
g 0 (x) = 6x g(x) = 3x2 + c
Substituting this in (4) we get
f (x) = 2x + 1 + 3x2 c
This gives the functional form for f and g. Thus, the general solution becomes
u(x, y) = 2(x + 2y) + 1 + 3(x + 2y)2 3(x + 3y)2 + 7y 2 = 8y 2 6xy + 2x + 4y + 1
6. What is the type of the following PDEs?
(a) uxx uxy + 2uy + uyy 3uyx + 4u = 0
B 2 4AC = (4)2 4(1)(1) = 12 > 0, Hyperbolic
(b) 9uxx + 6uxy + uyy + ux = 0
B 2 4AC = 62 4(9)(1) = 0 Parabolic