Autonomous equations
#053
Simulation & Code
Computational workSimulation

Python codeOpen
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
x = np.linspace(-2.5, 2.5, 600)
constants = [-2, -1, -0.5, 0.5, 1, 2]
fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(7, 4.5))
for constant in constants:
y = constant * np.exp(3 * x)
y = np.where(np.abs(y) <= 8, y, np.nan)
ax.plot(x, y, linewidth=2, label=f"C = {constant}")
ax.axhline(0, color="black", linewidth=1, alpha=0.7, label="equilibrium y = 0")
ax.axvline(0, color="#111827", linewidth=0.8, alpha=0.35)
ax.set_title("Entry #053: y' = 3y")
ax.set_xlabel("x")
ax.set_ylabel("y")
ax.set_ylim(-8, 8)
ax.grid(True, alpha=0.3)
ax.legend(fontsize=8, ncols=2)
fig.tight_layout()
plt.show()
Handwritten derivation
Download full PDFTakeaway & Interpretation
This is exponential growth with a faster rate than y'=y. Positive solutions grow rapidly, while negative solutions decrease away from 0. The equilibrium y=0 is unstable because any nonzero initial value moves away from it.