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I'm trying to input a second order differential equation to solve into matlab over x = 0 to x =1. I can't figure out how. Here's the equation:

\displaystyle y'' = 1 + 0.1 \sqrt{1+(y')^2}

with initial conditions at zero.

1 Answers 1

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MATLAB doesn't support second order differential equations outright; it's your job to turn your problem into a system of first order differential equations, as mentioned here.

To wit, first construct the appropriate function:

function dy = rapidash(t,y) dy = zeros(2,1); dy(1) = y(2); dy(2) = 1+0.1*sqrt(1+y(2).^2); 

and, using ode45() as an example, ode45(@rapidash,[0,1],(conditions)).