Edinburgh Napier University

  A method is presented, with standard examples, based on an elementary complex integral expression, for developing, in particular, series solutions for second-order linear homogeneous ordinary differential equations. Straightforward to apply, the method reduces the task of finding a series solution to the solution, instead, of a system of simple equations in a single variable. The method eliminates the need to manipulate power series and balance powers, which is a characteristic of the usual approach. The method originated with Herrera [3], but was applied to the solution of certain classes of nonlinear ordinary differential equations by him.