Numerical investigation of the pantograph equation (Q1360552)

The author studies the stability behaviour of a very simple numerical method when applied to the pantograph equation \[ y'(t)= ay(t)+ by(qt), \qquad|a|+b<0, \quad q\in(0,1). \] It is shown that there exists a critical point \(t^*\) (which depends on \(a,b\) and \(q\) and is inversely dependent on \(1-q\)) such that the numerical approximation displays a tendency to decrease in modulus before \(t^*\) but increases exponentially after \(t^*\). This implies that numerical calculations have to extend far beyond \(t^*\) in order to represent the correct asymptotic behaviour and this is confirmed by some numerical implementations.