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Ch. 9 - First-Order Differential Equations
Hass - Thomas' Calculus 15th Edition
Hass15th EditionThomas' CalculusISBN: 9780137616077Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 9, Problem 9.1.42

In Exercises 39–42, use Euler’s method with the specified step size to estimate the value of the solution at the given point x*. Find the value of the exact solution at x*.


y' = 1 + y², y(0) = 0, dx = 0.1, x* = 1

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the differential equation and initial condition: \(y' = 1 + y^2\) with \(y(0) = 0\).
Set the step size \(\Delta x = 0.1\) and the target point \(x^* = 1\). Determine the number of steps needed: \(n = \frac{x^* - 0}{\Delta x} = 10\) steps.
Apply Euler's method iteratively using the formula: \(y_{k+1} = y_k + \Delta x \cdot f(x_k, y_k)\), where \(f(x, y) = 1 + y^2\). Start with \(y_0 = 0\) at \(x_0 = 0\).
For each step \(k\) from 0 to 9, compute \(y_{k+1}\) using the previous value \(y_k\) and the slope \(f(x_k, y_k)\). Update \(x_{k+1} = x_k + \Delta x\) accordingly.
To find the exact solution at \(x^* = 1\), solve the initial value problem analytically. Recognize that \(y' = 1 + y^2\) is separable, so separate variables and integrate: \(\int \frac{dy}{1 + y^2} = \int dx\). Then apply the initial condition to find the constant of integration and evaluate \(y(1)\).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Euler's Method

Euler's method is a numerical technique to approximate solutions of first-order differential equations. It uses a step size to incrementally estimate the function's value by moving along the slope given by the differential equation. This method is especially useful when an exact solution is difficult to find.
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Euler's Method

Initial Value Problems (IVP)

An initial value problem specifies the value of the unknown function at a starting point, allowing the differential equation to be solved uniquely. Here, y(0) = 0 sets the initial condition, which is essential for applying Euler's method and finding the particular solution.
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Exact Solution of Differential Equations

The exact solution is an explicit formula that satisfies the differential equation and initial condition. For y' = 1 + y², the exact solution involves recognizing it as a separable equation, often leading to a trigonometric function like tangent, which can be evaluated at x* for comparison with the numerical estimate.
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