Q11E

Question

Find all the critical points of the system

dxdt=x2-1dydt=xy

and the solution curves for the related phase plane differential equation. Thereby proving that two trajectories lie on semicircles. What are the endpoints of the semicircles?

Step-by-Step Solution

Verified
Answer

The result is

fory>0,x>1,y=ecx2-1fory>0,x<1,y=ec1-x2fory<0,x>1,y=-ecx2-1fory<0,x<1,y=-ec1-x2

And the end points are (-1,0) (1,0).

1Step 1: Find critical points

For a critical point put the system equal to 0.

x2-1=0xy=0x2=1x=±1y=0

2Step 2: Find the value of y

Now, 

dydx=xyx2-11ydy=x2x2-1lny=12lnt+c(bysubtitution)lny=lnt12+cy=ect12y=ecx2-1

3Step 3: Prove results

Now there are two cases when y>0 and y<0.for both cases x2-1<0andx2-1>0 then x<1andx>1

fory>0,x>1,y=ecx2-1fory>0,x<1,y=ec1-x2fory<0,x>1,y=-ecx2-1fory<0,x<1,y=-ec1-x2

 

The trajectories that possibly lie on semicircles. If we square the equation then y2=e2c(1-x2)

 

This will be the equation of circle only if e2c=1. Therefore, only two solutions lie on the semicircle, y=x2-1,y=-x2-1.

 

Since it is a circle of radius 1 center at origin the endpoints are (-1,0),(1,0). This is the required result.