For the homogeneous differential equation , the solutions and are linearly independent solutions forming a fundamental set.
The given differential equation is a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation with variable coefficients. The solutions and are both functions of x and satisfy the differential equation. To determine whether these solutions are linearly independent, we can use the Wronskian determinant.
The Wronskian determinant for two functions and is given by:
Calculate the Wronskian determinant for and . If , then , and are linearly independent, forming a fundamental set of solutions for the homogeneous differential equation.
In this case, the Wronskian determinant is non-zero, indicating that and are linearly independent solutions. Therefore, they form a fundamental set of solutions for the given homogeneous differential equation. This is a crucial result in solving such equations, as it ensures the general solution can be expressed as a linear combination of these independent solutions.
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