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How do I solve a differential equation when one of the arguments requires that the value of one variable is equal to the value of the other variable, when I try this I get this error:

"DSolve::conarg: The arguments should be ordered consistently." for input

e = {Derivative[2, 0][u][x, y] + Derivative[0, 2][u][x, y] == 4, 
  u[x, x] == 2 x^2,  
  Derivative[1, 0][u][x, x] == 2 x}
s = DSolve[e, u, {x, y}]

The solution should be like x^2 + y^2

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    $\begingroup$ I've edited the question to highlight the specific problem. $\endgroup$
    – Feyre
    Commented Dec 13, 2016 at 15:50

1 Answer 1

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DSolve is unable to solve this problem without assistance. Begin by solving the PDE only,

s = DSolveValue[D[u[x, y], {x, 2}] + D[u[x, y], {y, 2}] == 4, u[x, y], {x, y}] 
    /. {C[1] -> c1, C[2] -> c2}
(* 2 x^2 + c1[I x + y] + c2[-I x + y] *)

and then apply the two auxiliary conditions.

b1 = Simplify[(s /. y -> x) == 2 x^2]
(* c1[(1 + I) x] + c2[(1 - I) x] == 0 *)
b2 = Simplify[(D[s, x]) == 2 x] /. y -> x
(* 2 x + I Derivative[1][c1][(1 + I) x] - I Derivative[1][c2][(1 - I) x] == 0 *)

These two expressions then can be solved to obtain

Flatten@Solve[{D[b1, x], b2}, {Derivative[1][c1][(1 + I) x], Derivative[1][c2][(1 - I) x]}]
(* {Derivative[1][c1][(1 + I) x] -> (1 + I) x, Derivative[1][c2][(1 - I) x] -> (1 - I) x}*)

Although these two relations can be integrated with Mathematica to obtain c1 and c2, the solutions are obvious.

{(c1[(1 + I) x] -> ((1 + I) x)^2/2 + c11), (c2[(1 - I) x] -> ((1 - I) x)^2/2 + c22)}

where c11 and c22 are constants. Next, replace (1 + I) x by (y + I x) and (1 - I) x by (y - I x).

ss = {(c1[(1 + I) x] -> ((1 + I) x)^2/2 + c11) /. x -> (y + I x)/(1 + I), 
      (c2[(1 - I) x] -> ((1 - I) x)^2/2 + c22) /. x -> (y - I x)/(1 - I)}

Finally, c11 and c22 are determined by

b1 /. (ss /. y -> x) /. Equal -> Rule
(* c11 + c22 -> 0 *)

Simplify[s /. ss] /. %
(* x^2 + y^2 *)

A lengthy process to obtain a simple answer.

Alternative Approach

The auxiliary conditions imposed on the PDE are, in effect, initial conditions on the line x - y == 0. Consequently, changing coordinates so that these initial conditions lie on a coordinate line, say a == 0 seemed productive. The transformation can be accomplished simply, using Kuba's function, DChange.

eq = DChange[D[u[x, y], {x, 2}] + D[u[x, y], {y, 2}] == 4, 
    {a == x - y, b == x + y}, {x, y}, {a, b}, {u[x, y]}] /. u -> v
(* Derivative[0, 2][v][a, b] + Derivative[2, 0][v][a, b] == 2 *)

Since the inverse transform is given by

Flatten@Solve[{a == x - y, b == x + y}, {x, y}]
(* {x -> (a + b)/2, y -> 1/2 (-a + b)} *)

the auxiliary conditions become

eqb1 = (v[a, b] == 2 x^2) /. % /. a -> 0
(* v[0, b] == b^2/2 *)
eqb2 = DChange[Derivative[1, 0][u][x, y] == 2 x, {a == x - y, b == x + y}, 
    {x, y}, {a, b}, {u[x, y]}] /. u -> v /. a -> 0
(* b == Derivative[0, 1][v][0, b] + Derivative[1, 0][v][0, b] *)

given, as desired, at a == 0. Unfortunately,

DSolveValue[{eq, eqb1, eqb2}, v[a, b], {a, b}]

returns unevaluated. Thus, we are again left with solving

s = DSolveValue[{eq}, v[a, b], {a, b}] /. {C[1] -> c1, C[2] -> c2}
(* a^2 + c1[I a + b] + c2[-I a + b] *)

and nothing has been gained from the transformation. For completeness, the solution proceeds as follows.

b1 = Simplify[(s /. a -> 0) == b^2/2];
b2 = Simplify[D[s, a] + D[s, b] == (a + b)] /. a -> 0;
Flatten@Solve[{D[b1, b], b2}, {Derivative[1][c1][b], Derivative[1][c2][b]}]
(* {Derivative[1][c1][b] -> b/2, Derivative[1][c2][b] -> b/2} *)
ss = {(c1[b] -> b^2/4 + c11) /. b -> b + I a, (c2[b] -> b^2/4 + c22) /. b -> b - I a}
(* {c1[I a + b] -> 1/4 (I a + b)^2 + c11, c2[-I a + b] -> 1/4 (-I a + b)^2 + c22} *)
Simplify[b1 /. (ss /. a -> 0)] /. Equal -> Rule;
Simplify[s /. ss] /. %
(* 1/2 (a^2 + b^2) *)

which is equivalent to the result obtained earlier.

Simplify[% /. {a -> x - y, b -> x + y}]
(* x^2 + y^2 *)
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    $\begingroup$ This is definitely a blind-spot in the function. I thought about doing it like this, but was convinced someone would know a simpler solution. $\endgroup$
    – Feyre
    Commented Dec 13, 2016 at 20:51

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