50 Chapter 1
Combining the derivative terms in the differential equation and assuming the validity of the
interchange between the multiplication operation and the summation operation, we obtain the
following homogeneous series equation:
∞
n=0
(a2(x)c(n)(n +r)(n +r −1)x
n+r−2
+a1(x)c(n)(n +r)x
n+r−1
+a0(x)c(n)x
n+r
) = 0
Linear Independence of Unlike Powers of x
The solution to the preceding series equation is driven by the fact that terms of unlike powers
of x are linearly independent; that is, we cannot express x raised to some integer power as a
linear multiple of x raised to a different power. Thus, the set of vectors 1,x,x
2
,x
3
,x
4
...is
linearly independent and any sum of coefficients multiplying unlike powers of x set equal to
zero can only be satisfied if each of the coefficients is set equal to zero. In the Frobenius series
solution to differential equations, we encounter sums of coefficients multiplying terms of x
raised to different powers, and since these sums must equal zero—as shown in the preceding
series—the only way we can satisfy these sums is that we set the coefficients of such terms
equal to zero. Doing the preceding gives rise to what we later encounter as “indicial” equations
and “recursion” formulas.
To facilitate the solution of the preceding series equation, we establish the three partitioned
series from the preceding:
S2 =
∞
n=0
a2(x)c(n)(n +r)(n +r −1)x
n+r−2
S1 =
∞
n=0
a1(x)c(n)(n +r)x
n+r−1
S0 =
∞
n=0
a0(x)c(n)x
n+r
Thus, the preceding homogeneous series equation can be written in terms of the three
partitioned series S2, S1, and S0, respectively, as
S2 +S1 +S0 = 0
In order to develop the solution further, we must look at examples for specific values of the
differential equation terms a2(x), a1(x), and a0(x).