A separable partial differential equation can be broken into a set of equations of lower dimensionality (fewer independent variables) by a method of separation of variables. It generally relies upon the problem having some special form or symmetry. In this way, the partial differential equation (PDE) can be solved by solving a set of simpler PDEs, or even ordinary differential equations (ODEs) if the problem can be broken down into one-dimensional equations.
The most common form of separation of variables is simple separation of variables. A solution is obtained by assuming a solution of the form given by a product of functions of each individual coordinate. There is a special form of separation of variables called
R
{\displaystyle R}
-separation of variables which is accomplished by writing the solution as a particular fixed function of the coordinates multiplied by a product of functions of each individual coordinate. Laplace's equation on
R
n
{\displaystyle {\mathbb {R} }^{n}}
is an example of a partial differential equation that admits solutions through
R
{\displaystyle R}
-separation of variables; in the three-dimensional case this uses 6-sphere coordinates.
(This should not be confused with the case of a separable ODE, which refers to a somewhat different class of problems that can be broken into a pair of integrals; see separation of variables.)
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