Mat 211 Tutorial 2

1 Find the explicit expression for yn , in the homogeneous difference equation

(a) yn+2 − 2yn+1 + 4yn = 0, with y1 = 2 and y2 = 6.
(b) yn+2 − 2yn+1 + 2yn = 0, with y1 = 12 and y2 = 15.
2 Consider the difference equation
1
xn+1 = (n ≥ 0),
2xn
with xn 6= 0.
(a) Find all the numbers a 6= 0 for which the initial condition x0 = a determines a constant solution.
(b) Deduce that all non-constant solutions are 2-cycles.
3 In a species of animals, a constant fraction of the population α = 5.3 are born each breeding season and a
constant fraction β = 4.97 die. Let xn be number of individuals of the population n years from now on.
(a) Formulate a difference equation for the population.
(b) Solve the difference equation obtained in (i) to find an explicit expression for
xn , given that the initial number is x0 = 978.
4 A population of antelopes has a growth rate of 2.3% per year. Let xn be the number of antelopes n years
from now and suppose there are currently 100 antelopes.
(a) Suppose the carrying capacity of the antelope’s habitat is 1000. Using the restricted growth model, write
a difference equation which describes how the population changes from year to year.
(b) Using the difference equation from part (a), compute xn for n = 1, 2, . . . , 20.
(c) How many years will it take for the population to double? To triple?
(d) Plot xn versus n for n = 1, 2, . . . , 20.
(e) Describe the behaviour of the population as it changes from year to year.
(f) Write a simple MATLAB code to plot the difference equation from part (a).
5 A population of rhinos has a growth rate of 2% per year. Let xn be the number of rhinos n years from now
and suppose there are currently 300 rhinos.
(a) Suppose the carrying capacity of the rhinos habitat is 1000. Using the restricted growth model, write a
difference equation which describes how the population changes from year to year.
(b) Using the difference equation from part (a), compute xn for n = 1, 2, . . . , 150.
(c) How many years will it take for the population to double? To triple?
(d) Plot xn versus n for n = 1, 2, . . . , 150.
(e) Describe the behaviour of the population as it changes from year to year.
(f) Write a simple MATLAB code to plot the difference equation from part (a).
6 Assuming that the sequence {xn } satisfying the restricted growth model equation
β
xn+1 − xn = xn (M − xn ),
M
for n ≥ 0 has a limit, show that
lim xn = M.
n→∞

7 It is observed that the decrease in the mass of a radioactive substance over a fixed time period is proportional
to the mass that was present at the beginning of the time period. If the half life of radium is 1600 years, find
a formula for its mass as a function of time.
8 In each of the following, show that y(t) is a solution of the difference equation:
(a) yt+1 − 2y(y) = 1 y(t) = A2t − 1
(b) y(t + 1) − y(t) = t + 1 y(t) = 21 t2 + 12 t + A

1
 (c) y(t + 2) + y(t) = 0, y(t) = A cos π2 t + B sin π2 t
(d) y(t + 2) − 4y(t + 1) + 4y(t) = 0, y(t) = A2t + Bt2t

9 The amount of the radioactive isotope lead Pb-209 at the end of each hour is proportional to the amount
present at the beginning of the hour. If the half life of Pb-209 is 3.3 hours, how long does it take for 80% of
a certain amount of Pb-209 to decay?

Solutions
1. (a) Given yn+2 − 2yn+1 + 4yn = 0 with y1 = 2 and y2 = 6.
Let the auxiliary solution be yn = αn . Then the characteristic equation for the given homogeneous
equation is

α2 − 2α + 4 = 0
√ √
whose roots are given by α1 = 1 + 3i and α2 = 1 − 3i
√
Using α1 = 1 + 3i, the principle argument is given by
√ !
−1 3 π
θ = tan = ,
1 3

and the modulus is

q √
r= 12 + ( 3)2 = 2.

The general solution is given by

 nπ   nπ 
yn = A1 · 2n cos + A2 · 2n sin
3 3
We now apply the initial conditions. For y1 = 2, we have
π π
2 = A1 · 21 cos + A2 · 21 sin
3 √ 3
1 3
2 = 2A1 · + A2 · 2 ·
2
√ 2
2 = A1 + 3A2 (1)

For y2 = 6,
   
2 2π 2 2π
6 = A1 · 2 cos + A2 · 2 sin
3 3
  √
1 3
6 = A1 · 22 · − + A2 · 22 ·
2 2
√
6 = −2A1 + 2 3A2
√
3 = −A1 + 3A2 (2)

We now solve the equations (1) and (2), i.e.,

√
2 = A1 + 3A2 ,
√
3 = −A1 + 3A2
√
5 3
simultaneously to obtain A1 = − 21 and A2 = 6 . Therefore, the solution is given by

1 n  nπ  5√3  nπ 
yn = − · 2 cos + · 2n sin
2 3 6 3
or
 nπ  √
5 3 n−1  nπ 
yn = −2n−1 cos + ·2 sin
3 3 3

2
 (b) Given yn+2 − 2yn+1 + 2yn = 0 with y1 = 12 and y2 = 15.
Let yn = αn be the auxiliary solution. Then the characteristic equation is given by
α2 − 2α + 2 = 0
whose solution is
p
2± (−2)2 − 4(1)(2)
α=
√ 2
2 ± −4
=
2
=1±i
The argument is
 
1 π
θ = tan−1 = .
1 4
The modulus of the complex root is
p √
r= (12 + 12 ) = 2.
So, the general solution is
√  nπ  √  nπ 
yn = A1 ( 2)n cos + A2 ( 2)n sin
4 4
• When y = 12, we have
√ π √ π
y1 = 12 = = A1 ( 2) cos + A2 ( 2) sin
4 4
√ ! √ !
√ 2 √ 2
12 = A1 · 2 · + A2 · 2 ·
2 2
12 = A1 + A2 (3)
• When y = 12, we have
√ √
   
2π 2π
y2 = 15 = = A1 ( 2)2 cos + A2 ( 2)2 sin
4 4
√
15 = 0 + A2 · 2 · (1)
2A2 = 15
15
A2 = . (4)
2
Substituting (4) into (3), we get
15
A1 + = 12
2
15
A1 = 12 −
2
9
∴ A1 = .
2
Thus, the explicit solution is
9 √ n  nπ  15 √  nπ 
yn = ( 2) cos + ( 2)n sin
2 4 2 4
2. (a) A constant solution occurs at xn+1 = xn = a. So,
1
xn+1 =
2xn
1
a=
2a
2a2 = 1
2a2 − 1 = 0
1 1
(a + √ )(a − √ ) = 0
2 2
1
a = ±√ .
2

3
 (b) We want to show that x2 = x0 , x3 = x1 and so forth from the difference equation.
From the difference equation, xn+1 = 2x1n , we have
1
x1 =
2x0

1 1 1
x2 = =   = 1 = x0 .
2x1 2 2x1 0 x0

⇒ x2 = x0 .

Similarly,
1 1
x3 = =   = x1
2x2 2 2x1 1
⇒ x3 = x1 .

Therefore, all non constant solutions are two-cycles.

3. (a) Note: There are no ecological constraints.
α = 5.3 is the birth rate
β = 4.97 is the death rate
So:

xn+1 = {no. n years from now on} + {no. born} − {no. dead}
= xn + αxn − βxn
= xn + (α − β)xn
= xn + (5.3 − 4.97)xn
= xn + 0.33xn
∴ xn+1 = 1.33xn .

(b) Consider difference equation in xn+1 = 1.33xn . Then

xn+1 − 1.33xn = 0 [Homogeneous difference Eqn]

has a characteristic equation

α − 1.33 = 0
⇒ α = 1.33.

The general solution is given by yn = Aαn

In our case, the general solution is

xn = A · (1.33)n

Given that x0 = 978.

A · 1.330 = 978
A · 1 = 987
A = 978.

Therefore, the explicit solution is xn = 978(1.33)n .

4. (a) The restricted growth model is given by
β
xn+1 = xn + xn (M − xn )
M
In this case,
0.023
xn+1 = xn + xn (1000 − xn ),
1000
xn+1 = xn + 0.000023(1000 − xn )xn

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 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ···
100 102 104 106 109 111 113 115 118 ···

(b)
(c) How many years will it take for the population to double? To triple?

5. Same principle as question 4

6. Q6 SEE lECTURE NOTES
7. Let mt represent the mass of radium after t years. Then,

Mt+1 − mt = −kmt

where k is a positive constant. Rearranging this, we have

mt+1 = mt − kmt
= (1 − k)mt

Using iterations, we find that

mt+1 = m0 (1 − k)t . (5)

Since the half life is 1600, then

1
m1600 = m0 (1 − k)1600 = m0
2
which reduces to
1
  1600
1
(1 − k) = .
2

Substituting for (1 − k) into equation (5), we get

t
  1600
1
mt+1 = m0
2

8. (a) Given yt+1 = 2yt = 1, and yt = A · 2t − 1.

So, yt+1 = A · 2t+1 − 1.
Substituting into the difference equation, we obtain

LHS = A · 2t+1 − 1 − 2(A · 2t − 1)

= A · 2 · 2t − 1 − 2A · 2t + 2
=2−1
=1
= RHS

(b) Given yt+1 − yt = t + 1, with a solution yt = 21 t2 + 21 t + A. Then

LHS = yt+1 − yt
 
1 2 1 1 2 1
= (t + 1) + (t + 1) + A − t + t+A
2 2 2 2
1 2 1 1 1 2 1
= (t + 2t + 1) + t + + A − t − t − A
2 2 2 2 2
=t+1
= RHS

5
 (c) Given yt+2 + yt = 0 with solution yt = A cos π2 t + B sin π2 t

LHS = yt+2 + yt
π  π  h π π i
= A cos (t + 2) + B sin (t + 2) + A cos t + B sin t
2  2  2 2
πt πt π π
= A cos t + π + B sin t + π + A cos t + B sin t
2 2 2 2
   
πt πt πt πt π π
= A cos cos π − sin sin π + B sin cos π + cos sin π + A cos t + B sin t
2 2 2 2 2 2
π π π π
= −A cos t − B sin t + A cos t + B sin t
2 2 2 2
=0
= RHS
Note: Some important relations used are
cos(X + Y ) = cos X cos Y − sin X sin Y,
sin(X + Y ) = sin X cos Y + cos X sin Y
sin π = 0
cos π = −1.

(d) Given yt+2 − 4yt+1 + 4yt = 0 with solution yt = A · 2t + Bt · 2t .

RHS = A2t+2 + B(t + 2)2t+2 − 4 A2t+1 + B(t + 1)2t+1 + 4(A2t + At2t )

= 4A2t + 4B(t + 2)2t − 4(2A2t + 2B(t + 1)2t ) + 4A2t + 4Bt2t

= 8A2t + 8Bt2t + 8B2t − 8A2t − 8Bt2t − 8B2t
=0
= RHS.

9. The decay equation is given by

mt+1 − mt = −kmt
⇒ mt+1 = (1 − k)mt .
Again, by iteration, we obtain
mt = m0 (1 − k)t . (6)
Since the half-life is 3.3 hours,
1
m3.3 = m0 (1 − k)3.3 = m0
2
1
  3.3
1
⇒ (1 − k) =
2
Substituting into (6), we get
t
  3.3
1
mt+1 =
2
For the 80% decay, then
  3.3t
1
0.8m0 = m0
2
  3.3t
1
0.8 =
2
 
t 1
ln 0.8 = ln
3.3 2
(ln 0.8) × 3.3
t= ≈ 1.1 hours
ln 12