ode2 not providing the solution



"Stavros Macrakis" <stavros.macrakis@verizon.net> writes:

[ (C8) 'diff(y,x,2) + a*'diff(y,x) + b*y = c*x; ]

> > (C10) ode2(d8,y,x);
> >            2
> > Is  4 b - a   positive, negative, or zero?
> > 
> > positive;
> > Quotient by a polynomial of higher degree -- an error. 
> 
> This error is coming from the Integrate routine:
> 
>    integrate( x*%E^(a*x/2)*SIN(SQRT(b-a^2)*x) , x)
>         => Quotient by...
> 
> Another similar problem:
> 
>    integrate( x*%E^(a*x)*SIN(SQRT(b-a^2)*x/2) , x)
>         => quotient is not exact
> 
> Usually, this sort of problem is solved by changing GCD algorithm
> (setting the GCD variable), but in this case, all the GCD routines have
> the same problem.

The patch given in

http://www.math.utexas.edu/pipermail/maxima/2003/003694.html

fixes (C10) above.  On the other hand, Maxima still fails to calculate
the two integrals above, but it succeeds after exchanging a and b,
that is, integrate(x*%e^(b*x/2)*sin(sqrt(a-b^2)*x), x); works.

Wolfgang