2B: Changing Coordinates @ 2019-09-17 00:12:54-07:00 1

EECS 16B Designing Information Devices and Systems II

Fall 2019 Discussion Worksheet 2B: Changing
Coordinates
1. Changing Coordinates and Systems of Differential Equations, pt. 2
In the previous discussion we analyzed the differential equation and eigenvalues for the voltages VC1 ,VC2
across the capacitors shown in Figure 1. The devices are set to the following values: C1 = 1µF,C2 =
1 1 1
3 µF, R2 = 2 MΩ, R1 = 3 MΩ. Remember that in the case where Vin starts at 7V then transitions to 0V at
t = 0, the differential equation can be expressed as:

d
y1 (t) = −5y1 (t) + 2y2 (t) (1)
dt
d
y2 (t) = 6y1 (t) − 6y2 (t) (2)
dt
with initial conditions y1 (0) = 7 and y2 (0) = 7. Or equivalently in matrix form as:
" #
−5 2
Ay =
6 −6

We found the eigenvalues λ1 , λ2 for the matrix to be:

λ = −9, −2

The eigenspace associated with λ1 = −9 is given by:

" #
−1
~vλ1 = α
2

The eigenspace associated with λ2 = −2 is given by:

" #
2
~vλ2 = β
3

R1 R2
I1 I2

+ Vin C1 C2
−

Figure 1: Two dimensional system: a circuit with two capacitors, like the one in lecture.

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2B: Changing Coordinates @ 2019-09-17 00:12:54-07:00 2

The reason we spent the time in the previous discussion to find the eigenvalues and eigenspaces is because
we can use them as a convenient basis for coordinate transformation! Today we’ll solve this differential
equation in a simple way with this methodology.

(a) Change coordinates into the eigenbasis to re-express the differential equations in terms of new variables
zλ1 (t), zλ2 (t). (These variables represent eigenbasis-aligned coordinates.)
Answer:
~y =~vλ1 zλ1 +~vλ2 zλ2
" #" #
−1 2 zλ1
~y =
2 3 zλ2

We can define the change-of-coordinates matrix from the eigenbasis to our original basis as
" #
−1 2
V=
2 3

Changing coordinates to the eigenbasis:

" # " #
zλ1 y
= V −1 1
zλ2 y2
" #
−1 − 73 2
7
V = 2 1
7 7
"#" #" #
− 73
−5 2
2 −1 2
Azλ = V −1 AyV = 2 7
1
7 6 7 −6 2 3
" #" #
−3 2 9 −4
Azλ = 27 71
7 7 −18 −6
" #
−9 0
Azλ =
0 −2

That is:
" # " #" #
d
dt zλ1 (t) −9 0 zλ1 (t)
d =
dt zλ2 (t)
0 −2 zλ2 (t)

(b) Solve the differential equation for zλi (t) in the eigenbasis.
Answer: First we get the initial condition:
" #" # " #
− 37 2
7 7 −1
~zλ (0) = 2 1 =
7 7 7 3

Then we solve based on the form of the problem and our previous differential equation experience:
" #
K1 e−9t
~zλ (t) =
K2 e−2t

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2B: Changing Coordinates @ 2019-09-17 00:12:54-07:00 3

Plugging in for the initial condition gives:

" #
−e−9t
~zλ (t) =
3e−2t

(c) Convert your solution back into the original coordinates to find yi (t).
Answer: " #" # " #
−1 2 −e−9t e−9t + 6e−2t
~y(t) = V~zλ (t) = =
2 3 3e−2t −2e−9t + 9e−2t

(d) We can solve this equation using a slightly shorter approach by observing that the solutions for yi (t)
will all be of the form
yi (t) = ∑ Ki,k eλk t
k

where λk is an eigenvalue of our differential equation relation matrix and the Ki,k are constants derived
from our initial conditions and the coordinate changes involved.
Since we have observed that the solutions will include eλit terms, once we have found the eigenvalues
for our differential equation matrix, we can guess the forms of the yi (t) as
" # " #
y1 (t) αeλ1t + β eλ2t
=
y2 (t) γeλ1t + κeλ2t
where α, β , γ, κ are all constants.
Take the derivative to write out " #
d
dt y1 (t) .
d
dt y2 (t)

and connect this to the given differential equation.

Solve for yi (t) from this form of the derivative.
Answer: " # " #
y1 (t) αe−9t + β e−2t
=
y2 (t) γe−9t + κe−2t
" #
d −9αe−5t − 2β e−2t
~y(t) =
dt −9γe−9t − 2κe−2t
We also have that:
" #" # " #
d −5 2 αe−9t + β e−2t (−5α + 2γ)e−9t + (−5β + 2κ)e−2t
~y(t) = A~y(t) = =
dt 6 −6 γe−9t + κe−2t (6α − 6γ)e−9t + (6β − 6κ)e−2t

Equating terms:

−9α = −5α + 2γ
−2β = −5β + 2κ
−9γ = 6α − 6γ
−2κ = 6β − 6κ

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2B: Changing Coordinates @ 2019-09-17 00:12:54-07:00 4

This gives:

γ = −2α
3
κ= β
2
Rewriting:
" # " #
y1 (t) αe−9t + β e−2t
=
y2 (t) −αe−9t + 2β e−2t

With initial condition

" # " #
7 α +β
~y(0) = = ,
7 −2α + 32 β

we get:

α =1
β =6

" # " #
y1 (t) e−9t + 6e−2t
=
y2 (t) −2e−9t + 9e−2t

Contributors:

• Anant Sahai.

• Regina Eckert.

• Nathan Lambert.

• Pavan Bhargava.

© UCB EECS 16B, Fall 2019. All Rights Reserved. This may not be publicly shared without explicit permission. 4