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ode45 - Differential Equation Solver
This routine uses a variable step Runge-Kutta Method to solve differential equations numerically.
The syntax for ode45 for first order differential equations andthat for second order differential
equations are basically the same. However, the .m files are quite different.

I. First Order Equations

y = f (t, y )
y (t0 ) = y0

A. Create a .m file for f (t, y) (see the tutorial on numerical methods and m files on how to
do this). Save file as, for example, yp.m .
B. Basic syntax for ode45 . At a Matlab prompt type :
[t,y]=ode45(’yp’,[t0,tf],y0);
(yourversion of ode45 may not require brackets around t0, tf)






yp = the .m file of the function f (t, y ) saved as yp.m
t0, tf = initial and terminal values of t
y0 = initial value of yat t0

C. For example, to numerically solve

t2 y = y + 3t
over the interval 1 ≤ t ≤ 4 :
y (1) = −2

• Create and save the file yp.m for the function
• At a Matlab prompt type:

1
(y + 3t).t2

[t,y]=ode45(’yp’,[1,4],-2);
(your version of ode45 may not require backets around [1,4])
• To print results type :
• To plot results type :

[t,y]
plot(t,y)

• To plot results typewith a ’+’ symbol :

II. Second Order Equations

plot(t,y,’+’)


 y + p(t) y + q (t) y = g (t)




y (t0 ) = y0
y (t0 ) = y1

A. First convert 2nd order equation above to anequivalent system of 1st order equations.
Let x1 = y, x2 = y :
x1 = x2
, where x1 (t0 ) = y0 , x2 (t0 ) = y1 .
x2 = −q (t) x1 − p(t) x2 + g (t)
B. Create and save a .m file which will return avector-valued function. This is a little tricky
so here is a specific example. Suppose the system is as below and 0 ≤ t ≤ 4
x1 = x2
, where x1 (0) = 2, x2 (0) = 8 .
x2 = −t x1 + et x2 + 3 sin 2t

• Createthe following function file and save it as F.m :
function xp=F(t,x)
xp=zeros(2,1); % since output must be a column vector
xp(1)=x(2);
xp(2)=-t*x(1)+exp(t)*x(2)+3*sin(2*t); % don’t forget ; after...