SolveODE Command

Outside CAS

SolveODE[ <f(x,y)>, <Start x>, <Start y>, <End x>, <Step> ]

Solves first order ordinary differential equations (ODE)

\begin{equation}\frac{dy}{dx}=f(x,y) \end{equation} numerically given start point and end & step for x. For example to solve \begin{equation} \frac{dy}{dx}=-xy \end{equation} using A as a starting point, enter SolveOde[x*y, x(A), y(A), 5, 0.1]

Note: Length[ <Locus> ] allows you to find out how many points are in the computed locus and First[ <Locus>, <Number> ] allows you to extract the points as a list, for example

First[ loc1, Length[ loc1 ] ]

SolveODE[ <f(x,y)>, <g(x,y)>, <Start x>, <Start y>, <End t>, <Step> ]

Solves first order ODE

\begin{equation} \frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{f(x,y)}{g(x,y)} \end{equation} given start point, maximal value of t and step for t. This version of the command may work where the first one fails eg when the solution curve has vertical points. For example to solve \begin{equation}\frac{dy}{dx}=- \frac{x}{y} \end{equation} using A as a starting point, enter SolveOde[-x, y, x(A), y(A), 5, 0.1]

SolveODE[ <b(x)>, <c(x)>, <f(x)>, <Start x>, <Start y>, <Start y'>, <End x>, <Step>]

Solves second order ODE

\begin{equation}y+b(x)y'+c(x)y=f(x)\end{equation}

Note: Always returns the result as locus. The algorithms are based on Runge-Kutta numeric methods.

In CAS

SolveODE(<f(x,y)>)

Attempts to find the exact solution of the first order ODE

\begin{equation} \frac{dy}{dx}=f(x,y) \end{equation}

Note: Works with Maxima only.

SolveODE(<f( var1, var2)>, <var1>, <var2>)

As above, but function f can be in variables other than x & y

Note: Works with Maxima only.