MACSYMA's ordinary differential equation (ODE) solver ODE2
may be used for symbolically solving elementary ODEs of first and
second order.

	One calls the ODE2 routine as follows:

(C1) X^2*'DIFF(Y,X) + 3*X*Y = SIN(X)/X;
			 2 dY	        SIN(X)
(D1) 		        X  -- + 3 X Y = ------
			   dX		  X

(C2) ODE2(%,Y,X);

				%C - COS(X)
(D2) 			    Y = -----------
				     3
				    X

	We see from this example how ODE2 is used.  Namely, it takes
three arguments:  an ODE of first or second order (only the left hand side
need be given if the right hand side is 0), the dependent variable, and
the independent variable.  When successful, it returns either an explicit
or implicit solution for the dependent variable.  %C is used to represent
the constant in the case of first order equations, and %K1 and %K2 the 
constants for second order equations.  If ODE2 cannot obtain a solution 
for whatever reason, it returns FALSE, after perhaps printing out an 
error message.

	The methods implemented for first order equations in the order in
which they are tested are:  linear, separable, exact - perhaps requiring 
an integrating factor, homogeneous, Bernoulli's equation, and a 
generalized homogeneous method.

	For second order:  constant coefficient, exact, linear homogeneous
with non-constant coefficients which can be transformed to constant
coefficient, the Euler or equidimensional equation, the method of
variation of parameters, and equations which are free of either the
independent or of the dependent variable so that they can be reduced to
two first order linear equations to be solved sequentially.

	In the course of solving ODEs, several variables are set purely 
for informational purposes: METHOD denotes the method of solution used e.g. 
LINEAR, INTFACTOR denotes any integrating factor used, ODEINDEX denotes the 
index for Bernoulli's method or for the generalized homogeneous method, 
and YP denotes the particular solution for the variation of parameters 
technique.

	In order to solve initial value problems (IVPs) and boundary
value problems (BVPs), the routine IC1 is available for first
order equations, and IC2 and BC2 for second order IVPs and BVPs, 
respectively.  They are used as in the following examples:

(C3) IC1(D2,X=%PI,Y=0);
				 COS(X) + 1
(D3) 			   Y = - ----------
				      3
				     X

(C4) 'DIFF(Y,X,2) + Y*'DIFF(Y,X)^3 = 0;
			   2
			  d Y	   dY 3
(D4) 			  --- + Y (--)  = 0
			    2	   dX
			  dX

(C5) ODE2(%,Y,X);
			 3
			Y  - 6 %K1 Y - 6 X
(D7) 		        ------------------ = %K2
				3

(C8) RATSIMP(IC2(D7,X=0,Y=0,'DIFF(Y,X)=2));
			     3
			  2 Y  - 3 Y + 6 X
(D9) 		        - ---------------- = 0
				 3

(C10) BC2(D7,X=0,Y=1,X=1,Y=3);
			 3
			Y  - 10 Y - 6 X
(D11) 		        --------------- = - 3
			       3

	In order to see more clearly which methods have been implemented,
a demonstration file is available.  To run it, you may do 
DEMO(ODE2,DEMO,DSK,SHARE); .