Math Is Fun Forum

vallauris

Member

Registered: 2009-02-21

Posts: 2

cauchy first order differential equations

Hi there

Have been looking for the past three weeks for a simple guide to solving a system of 3 first order differential equations using cauchy and matrices.

There are so many different applications of "Cauchy" equations - it's just been a real mind bender..

Tried journals, texts, MIT video lectures, uni websites, wiki, dummies the lot but nothing steps it out simply for 3 known coefficients and 3 unknowns. 

I have to confess now to flunking high school math!

If anyone could push me in the right direction I would be very appreciative!

Cheers

JD

Butterscotch

Guest

Re: cauchy first order differential equations

You are failing high school math, yet toying with 2nd-year undergraduate course material?

vallauris

Member

Registered: 2009-02-21

Posts: 2

Re: cauchy first order differential equations

Hello Butterscotch

I wrote that to try and show  I really wanted an explanation that was very simple  for my lizard brain.

In fact I have a good pass in first year university statistics (and yes in my country - New Zealand - I can still fail high school math and enter university).

I am working on this problem as a personal challenge in the spirit of "math is fun"- in fact I made an error in the first post - the system is in second order form.

I'll write the equation here now hoping I can spur some interest.

I can't seem to find any examples where there are multiple unknowns being multiplied together e.g.  + 3*B*W

0 =     2*B + 3*B*W + 4*B*J
0 =     8*W*B + 5*W + 3*W*J
0 =    10*J*B + 10*J*W + 10*J

Any help with a good reference or direct help on how to solve it would be appreciated!

JD

Last edited by vallauris (2009-02-22 16:20:35)

Ricky

Moderator

Registered: 2005-12-04

Posts: 3,791

Re: cauchy first order differential equations

What are B, J, and W?  That doesn't look like a system of differential equations.

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"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."