Home page for accesible maths Math 101 Chapter 3: Differentiation

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3.36 A differential equation for hyperbolic functions

Proposition

Let m,k>0m,k>0, and A,BA,B be real. Then the differential equation

md2fdx2=kf(x)m{{d^{2}f}\over{dx^{2}}}=kf(x)

with initial conditions

f(0)=A, f(0)=Bf(0)=A,\quad f^{\prime}(0)=B

has solution

f(x)=Acoshβx+Bβsinhβxf(x)=A\cosh\beta x+{{B}\over{\beta}}\sinh\beta x

where β=k/m\beta=\sqrt{k/m}.

This solution is not periodic, and does not oscillate. Usually f(x)f(x) will diverge to \infty or --\infty as xx\rightarrow\infty.