# relationship between coefficients of a differential equation when product of solutions is constant

Suppose $y_1 y_2$ is the product of the two solutions of the differential equation $y'' + p_1 y' + p_2y = 0$ and it is a constant. How can the requirement for this be $2p_1p_2 + p_2' = 0$? I have tried several manipulations but cannot get the desired requirement. Any hints?

Thanks

-
You didn't try enough. You should use the fact that constants have a zero derivative, differentiating over and over again, and using the differential equation to always get expressions involving only $y_1,y_2$ and their first derivatives. –  Yuval Filmus Jun 30 '11 at 4:15
Let $y_1 y_2 = C \neq 0$. Differentiate once: $$y'_1 y_2 + y_1 y'_2 = 0.$$ Differentiate again: $$y''_1 y_2 + 2y'_1y'_2 + y_1 y''_2 = 0.$$ Substitute the differential equation: $$2y'_1 y'_2 = p_1 y'_1 y_2 + p_2 y_1 y_2 + p_1 y_1 y'_2 + p_2 y_1 y_2 = 2Cp_2.$$ Differentiate this: $$2y''_1 y'_2 + 2y'_1 y''_2 = 2Cp'_2.$$ Substitute the differential equation: $$0 = 2Cp'_2 + 2p_1y'_1y'_2 + 2p_2y_1y'_2 + 2p_1y'_1y'_2 + 2p_2y'_1y_2 = 2Cp'_2 + 4p_1y'_1y'_2 = 2Cp'_2 + 4Cp_1p_2.$$ Since $C \neq 0$, we deduce that $$p'_2 + 2p_1 p_2 = 0.$$