d2 x/dt2 =-w2 x


By Yiingleong Chin on Wednesday, August 01, 2001 - 12:43 am:

Can anyone please help with these problems I have?
1. A particle moving in simple harmonic motion obeys the law:
d2 x/dt2 =-w2 x
Show that d2 x/dt2 =v dv/dx, where v=dx/dt.

2. A sequence is defined by b1 =1 and bn+1 =bn (bn +1), for all n > = 1.
By using mathematical induction, prove that for each n, bn is a positive integer and
bn+1 =1+ k=1 n bk 2 .
3. Prove by mathematical induction that for n={N}, where p is a constant natural number, that 1 x 2 x 3 x ...p + 2 x 3 x 4 x ...p(p+1) +...+ n(n+1)(n+2)...(n+p-1)=[n(n+1)(n+2)...(n+p-1)(n+p)]/(p+1).

Thanks a lot!

regards..


By Jim Oldfield on Wednesday, August 01, 2001 - 01:10 am:

Your first question has nothing to do with SHM. Well, it does apply in SHM, but in fact it is always true (not dependant on SHM).
d2 x/dt2 =d/dt(dx/dt) (by def'n of 2nd derivative)
=dv/dt (since v=dx/dt)
=dv/dx . dx/dt (chain rule)
=v dv/dx (since v=dx/dt)


By Jim Oldfield on Wednesday, August 01, 2001 - 01:19 am:

If it is true for n=r-1 then

br =1+ k=1 r-1 bk 2

sub this into your formula for bn+1 , and work towards:

br+1 =1+ k=1 r bk 2

then show that the formula works for n=0 (i.e. b1 ) so that you have prooved the formula by induction. Use a similar approach for q.3.

Jim