Final answer:
The initial-value problem is solved by finding an integrating factor and using separation of variables which leads to the solution u(t) = t^2 - t + t^3.
Step-by-step explanation:
The differential equation t du/dt = t2 + 3u needs to be solved with the initial condition that u(4) = 48. This is a first-order linear differential equation and can be solved by separating variables or using an integrating factor. For separation of variables, divide both sides by t and rearrange the terms to separate the u terms from the t terms:
du/dt - (3/t)u = t
Next, find an integrating factor μ(t) such that μ(t) = exp(-3 ∫ dt/t) = exp(-3 ln|t|) = t-3. Multiplying through by this factor yields:
t-3 du/dt - 3t-4 u = t-2
The left side is now the derivative of (u/t3) with respect to t, so we can integrate both sides with respect to t:
∫ d(u/t3) = ∫ t-2 dt
This yields:
u/t3 = -(1/t) + C
Now, plug in the initial condition u(4) = 48 to solve for C:
48/43 = -(1/4) + C
C = 48/64 + 1/4 = 3/4 + 1/4 = 1
Thus, the solution to the differential equation is:
u(t) = t3(—1/t + 1)
Or more simply:
u(t) = t2 - t + t3