Simple eigenfunction examples

March 18, 2015

Simple examples

1.1

Example 1

Find eigenvalues k n and eigenfunctions n that solve the boundary value problem
00 = k2
(0) = (5) = 0.
The general solution to the differential equation (DE) is
( x ) = A cos (kx ) + B sin (kx ) .
There are three unknown constants: A, B, k. To find two of the three constants, use the
boundary conditions (BCs). Look first at x = 0,
0 = (0) = A cos (0) + B sin (0)

=A
so A is zero. Look next at x = 5,
0 = (5) = B sin (5k ) .
There are two possibilities:
B = 0. Since A is already zero, choosing B = 0 as well gives the trivial solution
( x ) = 0. Ignore this.
sin (5k ) = 0. This equation is solved when 5k n = n, n = 0, 1, 2, . But notice
that the choice n = 0, k n = 0 also gives the trivial solution, so we can ignore the case
n = 0. Furthermore, sin (k n x ) is equal to sin (k n x ), that is, it differs from sin (k n x )
only by a multiplicative constant and is therefore in the same eigenspace as sin (k n x ).
The negative indices n = 1, 2, can therefore be ignored as they dont produce
distinct eigenfunctions.
1

The eigenfunctions and eigenvalues are

n ( x ) = Bn sin (k n x )
n
kn =
5
when n = 1, 2, 3 and Bn can be any constant. For simplicity, well usually set Bn = 1.

1.2

Example 2

Solve
00 + 9 = k2
(0) = 0
0 ( ) = 0
for eigenvalues k n and eigenvectors n . The general solution to the DE is
p

p

( x ) = A cos
9 + k2 x + B sin
9 + k2 x .
To determine two of the three unknown constants, use the BCs. Look first at the BC at x = 0,
0 = (0) = A cos (0) + B sin (0)

=A
so A is zero. Look next at the BC at x = :
p

p
0 = 0 ( ) = B 9 + k2 cos
9 + k2 .
There are three (non-exclusive) possibilities:
B = 0. Since weve already found A = 0, this gives us the trivial solution ( x ) = 0
which we ignore.

9 + k2 = 0. This gives the solution ( x ) = B sin (0x ) which is also trivial




cos
9 + k2 = 0 , which leads to the condition 9 + k2 = n 12 , n = 1, 2, 3, .
Solve for the eigenvalue,
s


1 2
kn =
n
9
2
The eigenfunctions and eigenvalues are
n ( x ) = sin
s
kn =

q

9 + k2n x

1
n
2

for n = 1, 2, 3, .
Several comments about the solution:
2

2


The choice of one-based indexing 9 + k2 = n 21 , n = 1, 2, 3, instead of zero
based indexing 9 + k2 = n + 21 , n = 0, 1, 2, is arbitrary. Either will work.
I didnt explicitly state why I ignored negative indices, n = 1, 2, but the reasoning is the same as in the previous example.
I also didnt explicitly state why I set the constant B to one, but the reasoning is the
same as in the previous example.

1.3

Example 3
00 = k2
0 (0) = 0
0 (1) = 0.

The general solution to the DE is

( x ) = A cos (kx ) + B sin (kx ) .
To determine two of the three constants, use the BCs. Look first at the BC at x = 0,
0 = 0 (0) = kA sin (0) + Bk cos (0)

= Bk
so Bk = 0, meaning B = 0 and/or k = 0. Either way, the term B sin (kx ) will be zero. Look
next at x = 1,
0 = 0 (1)

= kA sin (k) + Bk cos (k)

= kA sin (k)

(since Bk = 0).

There are three (non-exclusive) possibilities

A = 0. This, together with B = 0 or k = 0, gives a trivial solution. Ignore it.
k = 0. This gives a constant solution ( x ) = A which is acceptable. But notice also
that k = 0 is included as a special case of the next case, sin (k ) = 0
sin (k ) = 0. This has solutions when k is an integer times .
The solutions are, for n = 0, 1, 2, 3, ,
n ( x ) = cos (nx )
k n = n.
Notice that Ive started the indexes n from zero, not one. Notice that Ive also ignored the
negative indices (why?)

The five simple boundary condition combinations

There are five combinations of boundary conditions with which the eigenvalue problem
00 + 2 = k2
are easily solvable. On an arbitrary interval [ a, b] the five simple cases are:
1. Specify functions at both ends: ( a) = (b) = 0
2. Specify derivative at left, function at right: 0 ( a) = (b) = 0
3. Specify function at left, derivative at right: ( a) = 0 (b) = 0
4. Specify derivative at both ends: 0 ( a) = 0 (b) = 0
5. Periodic boundary conditions: 0 ( a) = 0 (b) and ( a) = (b).
You should try all of these combinations.
Other boundary conditions are possible, for example,
(0) = 0
(1) 20 (1) = 0,
but the determination of the eigenvalues in such cases requires solution of a transcendental
algebraic equation.