Planar Systems

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#UCLA #Y1Q3 #Math33B

Planar Systems


Key Definitions

Characteristic polynomial - the determinant of the matrix, A, minus the identity, I, multiplied by $\lambda$

Planar Systems - usually homogenous linear systems with constant coefficients solved using linear algebra, specifically in 2x2 matrices below


Problem

Given a linear system:

\(\vec x'=A\vec x \quad\text{and}\quad A=\begin{bmatrix}a & b \\ c & d\end{bmatrix}\)

With possible IVP:

\(\vec x(t_0)=\begin{bmatrix}a \\ b\end{bmatrix}\)

Steps

  1. Find Eigenvalues using characteristic polynomial
  2. Find Eigenvectors using $null(A-\lambda I_n)$
  3. General Solution:
    \(x(t;C_1,C_2)=C_1e^{\lambda_1 t}\vec v_1 + C_2e^{\lambda_2 t}\vec v_2\)
  4. Plug in IVP and solve augmented matrix using general solution

General Solutions

Distinct Real Roots

Different real Eigenvalues

\(x(t)=C_1e^{\lambda_1 t}\vec v_1 + C_2e^{\lambda_2 t}\vec v_2\)

Complex Conjugate Roots

Complex Eigenvalues

\(\lambda = a + bi\)
\(\vec w = \vec v_1 + \vec v_2i\)
\(\bar\lambda = a - bi\)
\(\bar{\vec w} = \vec v_1 - \vec v_2i\)

Complex Version

\(x(t)=C_1e^{\lambda t}\vec w + C_2e^{\bar\lambda t}\bar{\vec w}\)

Real Version

\(x(t)=C_1e^{at}(\vec v_1\cos bt - \vec v_2\sin bt) + C_2e^{at}(\vec v_1\sin bt + \vec v_2\cos bt)\)

Double Real Roots

One Eigenvalue

Easy Case

2 linearly independent Eigenvectors Same as Distinct Real Roots case:

\(x(t)=C_1e^{\lambda t}\vec v_1 + C_2e^{\lambda t}\vec v_2\)

Hard Case

1 Eigenvector Find $\vec v_2$ by setting up augmented matrix:

\(\vec v_2 = \begin{bmatrix}A-\lambda I & | & \vec v_1 \end{bmatrix}\)

Then solution is given by:

\(x(t)=C_1e^{\lambda t}\vec v_1 + C_2e^{\lambda t}(\vec v_2 + t\vec v_1)\)