wrong differential equation solution
10 views (last 30 days)
Show older comments
Graciano Ding
on 31 Jul 2020
Commented: Graciano Ding
on 1 Aug 2020
Hello guys, I have been struggling with a differential equation. I solved it manually, and then double-checked my answer both manually and with Wolfram Alpha, and the answer was right. However, matlab seems to give another answer. The two answers are supposed to be the same, just written in different forms. However, after I copied the Wolfram Alpha answer to matlab, I found out that they are actually not equal.Did I do anything wrong? Thank you.
2 Comments
Accepted Answer
John D'Errico
on 31 Jul 2020
Edited: John D'Errico
on 31 Jul 2020
Sorry. I don't know what you did incorrectly, but here is what I see.
syms y(t)
yalpha = (1/80)*(36*exp(-t) + 125*sin(t) -3*sin(3*t) -35*cos(t) -cos(3*t));
ode = diff(y,t,3) + diff(y,t,2) + diff(y,t) + y == cos(3*t);
dy = diff(y,t);
ddy = diff(y,t,2);
ysol = simplify(dsolve(ode,y(0) == 0,dy(0) == 1,ddy(0) == 1))
ysol =
(9*exp(-t))/20 - (2*cos(t))/5 + (8*sin(t))/5 - cos(t)^3/20 - (3*cos(t)^2*sin(t))/20
simplify(ysol - yalpha)
ans =
0
The difference is identically zero. You may have copied something incorrectly. It is difficult to know, because we don't truly know what is inside the variables you claim have created.
5 Comments
John D'Errico
on 1 Aug 2020
No problem. It was an interesting exercise in arm twisting. The problem is, if I look at virtually any of the intermediate forms, they all could be construed as of similar complexity to any other. So when we tell MATLAB to simplify the expression, it needed a little direction.
There is another trick that can sometimes work. It is pretty random though. If I add two arguments to simplify, it will return a sequence of variations on the expression.
ysimpl = simplify(ysol,'all',true,'steps',20)
ysimpl =
(9*exp(-t))/20 - (2*cos(t))/5 + (29*sin(t))/20 - cos(t)^3/20 + (3*sin(t)^3)/20
(exp(-t)*(29*exp(t)*sin(t) - 8*exp(t)*cos(t) - exp(t)*cos(t)^3 + 3*exp(t)*sin(t)^3 + 9))/20
(9*exp(-t))/20 - (10^(1/2)*cos(3*t - atan(3)))/80 - (674^(1/2)*cos(t + atan(25/7)))/16
(9*cos(t*1i))/20 + (sin(t*1i)*9i)/20 - (2*cos(t))/5 + (29*sin(t))/20 - cos(t)^3/20 - (3*sin(t)*(cos(t)^2 - 1))/20
(sin(t*1i)*9i)/20 + (29*sin(t))/20 + (3*sin(t)^3)/20 - ((2*sin(t/2)^2 - 1)*(sin(t)^2 - 1))/20 + (4*sin(t/2)^2)/5 - (9*sin((t*1i)/2)^2)/10 + 1/20
(9*exp(-t))/20 - exp(-t*1i)*(1/5 - 29i/40) - exp(t*1i)*(1/5 + 29i/40) - (exp(-t*1i)/2 + exp(t*1i)/2)^3/20 + (3*((exp(-t*1i)*1i)/2 - (exp(t*1i)*1i)/2)^3)/20
-exp(t*(- 1 - 3i))*(- (9*exp(t*3i))/20 + exp(t*(1 + 2i))*(7/32 - 25i/32) + exp(t*(1 + 4i))*(7/32 + 25i/32) + exp(t*(1 + 6i))*(1/160 - 3i/160) + exp(t)*(1/160 + 3i/160))
(29*tan(t/2))/(10*(tan(t/2)^2 + 1)) - (9*(tan((t*1i)/2) - 1i))/(20*(tan((t*1i)/2) + 1i)) + (tan(t/2)^2 - 1)^3/(20*(tan(t/2)^2 + 1)^3) + (6*tan(t/2)^3)/(5*(tan(t/2)^2 + 1)^3) + (2*(tan(t/2)^2 - 1))/(5*(tan(t/2)^2 + 1))
Here, for example, I see it has managed to find the first step in the sequence I chose as one of the alternatives. Now I might decide to try another shot in the dark.
ysol = ysimpl(1)
ysol =
(9*exp(-t))/20 - (2*cos(t))/5 + (29*sin(t))/20 - cos(t)^3/20 + (3*sin(t)^3)/20
ysimpl = simplify(ysol,'all',true,'steps',200);
This was a huge mess of variations. One of them however got me closer to my goal. Now repeat the process, examoming the results to see if simplify was able to help me out.
ysol = ysimpl(4)
ysol =
(9*exp(-t))/20 - cos(3*t)/80 - (7*cos(t))/16 + (29*sin(t))/20 + (3*sin(t)^3)/20
ysimpl = simplify(ysol,'all',true,'steps',200);
ysimpl(5)
ans =
(9*exp(-t))/20 - cos(3*t)/80 - (3*sin(3*t))/80 - (7*cos(t))/16 + (25*sin(t))/16
Scanning down through the mess it produces gives me an answer, at the 5th step in that sequence.
Honestly, the intelligently directed solution I did in my previous answer was more satisfying. But sometimes, if you have no clue what to try, this may help you get past a bump in the road.
More Answers (1)
madhan ravi
on 31 Jul 2020
a1 = matlabFunction(simplify(sol));
a = matlabFunction((1/80)*(36*exp(-t)-35*cos(t)-cos(3*t)+125*sin(t)-3*sin(3*t)));
t = linspace(0, 2*pi);
all(abs(a1(t) - a(t)) < 1e-2) % to check if they yield the same results
See Also
Products
Community Treasure Hunt
Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!
Start Hunting!