
Originally Posted by
CaptainBlack
Clearly if x is ever negative the derivative is negative, and gets more
negative the more negative x becomes, so there is run away growth
in the absolute value of x, and the growth is in the direction of increasingly
more negative x. So as time goes to infty x goes to -infty.
If x is ever positive but <50 dx/dt is positive so x is growing, but it must
level off where dx/dt=0, which is at x=50. So if x starts with a value in
the interval (0,50) it grows closer and closer to 50, so as t->infty
x->infty.
If x is ever positive but >50 dx/dt is negative so x is declining, but it must
level off where dx/dt=0, which is at x=50. So if x starts with a value in
the >50 it grows closer and closer to 50, so as t->infty
x->infty.
If x(0)=50, then dx/dt=0, so x remains at a value of 50. However any small
disturbance away from x=50 will decay back towards x=50, so x=50 is a
stable equilibrium.
If x(0)=0, then dx/dt=0, so x remains at a value of 0. However any small
disturbance away from x=0 will grow away from x=0, so x=0 is an
unstable equilibrium.
RonL