The characteristic equation is the quadratic algebraic equation 0=ar2+br+c. It is obtained by substituting the trial solution y=ert into the second-order linear homogeneous differential equation ay′′+by′+cy=0, factoring out the nonzero exponential term ert, and setting the remaining polynomial in r to zero.
Conditions: The differential equation is ay′′+by′+cy=0.; The trial solution is y=ert.; a,b,c are constants.
The characteristic equation is the quadratic algebraic equation 0=ar2+br+c. It is obtained by substituting the trial solution y=ert into the second-order linear homogeneous differential equation ay′′+by′+cy=0, factoring out the nonzero exponential term ert, and setting the remaining polynomial in r to zero.
Conditions: The differential equation is ay′′+by′+cy=0.; The trial solution is y=ert.; a,b,c are constants.