Case I: Roots of Indicial Equation are Distinct

Difference is not an Integer

October 5, 2019

Abstract
The method of series solution for a differential equation which has
distinct roots of indicial equation, not differing by an integer, is ex-
plained.

EXAMPLE - I :
In this lecture we shall take up solution of an ordinary differential equation
by the method of series solution. The example to be discussed is such that
the indicial equation has two distinct roots and the difference of the roots
is not an integer.
Consider the equation
d2 y dy
4x 2 + 2 +y =0 (1)
dx dx
Let us assume a solution in the form
∞
X
y(x, c) = an xn+c (2)
n=0

where c and an are to be fixed. Substituting Eq.(2) in the differential Eq.(1)

we get
∞
X ∞
X ∞
X
4x an (n+c)(n+c−1)xn+c−2 +2 an (n+c)xn+c−1 + an xn+c = 0 (3)
n=0 n=0 n=0

or,
∞
X ∞
X ∞
X
4an (n+c)(n+c−1)xn+c−1 + 2an (n+c)xn+c−1 + an xn+c = 0 (4)
n=0 n=0 n=0

or,
∞
X ∞
X
2(n + c)(2n + 2c − 1)an xn+c−1 + an xn+c = 0 (5)
n=0 n=0

1
We now equate coefficients of different powers of x to zero. The minimum
power of x in Eq.(5) is xc−1 . So we get

Coeff of xc−1 : a0 2c(2c − 1) = 0 (6)

Coeff of x :
c
a1 2(c + 1)(2c + 1) + a0 = 0 (7)
a0
or, a1 = − (8)
2(c + 1)(2c + 1)
Coeff of xc+1 : a2 2(2 + c)(4 + 2c − 1) + a1 = 0 (9)
a1
or, a2 = − (10)
(2c + 3)(2c + 4)
Coeff of xc+m : am+1 2(m + c + 1)(2m + 2c + 1) + am = 0 (11)
1
or am+1 = −am (12)
2(m + c + 1)(2m + 2c + 1)
The Eq.(6) gives the indicial equation

2c(2c − 1) = 0 (13)
1
or, c = 0, (14)
2

Solution for c = 0
The recurrence relation Eq.(12) becomes
1
am+1 = − am (15)
(2m + 2)(2m + 1)
1
Therefore, a1 = − a0 (16)
2·1
1 1
a2 = − a1 = a0 (17)
4·3 4·3·2·1
and
1 1
a3 = − a2 =− a0 (18)
6·5 6·5·4·3·2·1
(−1)m
Thus am = a0 (19)
(2m)!
and one solution for, c = 0, is
∞
x2 x3
 
X x (−1)m xm
yI (x) = x
c
an x = a0 1 − +
n
− + ... + + ...
2! 4! 6! (2m)!
n=0
(20)

2
 1
Solution for c = 2

In this case we have

1
am+1 = − am (21)
(2m + 3)(2m + 2)

Therefore,
1
a1 = − a0 (22)
3·2
1 1
a2 = − a1 = a0 (23)
5·4 5·4·3·2
1 1
a3 = − a2 = − a0 (24)
7·6 7·6·5·4·3·2
In general,
(−1)m
am = a0 (25)
(2m + 1)!
The second solution is, therefore, given by
∞
x2 x3
 
X √ x (−1)m xm
yII = xc
an x = a0 x 1 − +
n
− + ... + + ...
n=0
3! 5! 7! (2m + 1)!
(26)
The most general solution of the differential equation (1) is given by

y(x) = αyI (x) + βyII (x) (27)