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In mathematics, a differential equation is an equation that relates one or more unknown functions and their derivatives. [1] In applications, the functions generally represent physical quantities, the derivatives represent their rates of change, and the differential equation defines a relationship between the two.
The slope field can be defined for the following type of differential equations y ′ = f ( x , y ) , {\displaystyle y'=f(x,y),} which can be interpreted geometrically as giving the slope of the tangent to the graph of the differential equation's solution ( integral curve ) at each point ( x , y ) as a function of the point coordinates.
The derivative of the function at a point is the slope of the line tangent to the curve at the point. Slope of the constant function is zero, because the tangent line to the constant function is horizontal and its angle is zero.
Among ordinary differential equations, linear differential equations play a prominent role for several reasons. Most elementary and special functions that are encountered in physics and applied mathematics are solutions of linear differential equations (see Holonomic function ).
Differential equations are prominent in many scientific areas. Nonlinear ones are of particular interest for their commonality in describing real-world systems and how much more difficult they are to solve compared to linear differential equations.
Mathieu's differential equations appear in a wide range of contexts in engineering, physics, and applied mathematics. Many of these applications fall into one of two general categories: 1) the analysis of partial differential equations in elliptic geometries, and 2) dynamical problems which involve forces that are periodic in either space or time.