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Initial conditions

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Conditions imposed in formulating the Cauchy problem for differential equations. For an ordinary differential equation in the form

(1)

the initial conditions prescribe the values of the derivatives (Cauchy data):

(2)

where is an arbitrary fixed point of the domain of definition of the function ; this point is known as the initial point of the required solution. The Cauchy problem (1), (2) is often called an initial value problem.

For a partial differential equation, written in normal form with respect to a distinguished variable ,

the initial conditions consist in prescribing the values of the derivatives (Cauchy data)

of the required solution on the hyperplane (the support of the initial conditions).


Comments

References

[a1] E.L. Ince, "Ordinary differential equations" , Dover, reprint (1956)
[a2] S. Mizohata, "The theory of partial differential equations" , Cambridge Univ. Press (1973) (Translated from Japanese)
How to Cite This Entry:
Initial conditions. Encyclopedia of Mathematics. URL: http://encyclopediaofmath.org/index.php?title=Initial_conditions&oldid=47359
This article was adapted from an original article by A.P. Soldatov (originator), which appeared in Encyclopedia of Mathematics - ISBN 1402006098. See original article