Symbolic Solutions of Simultaneous First-order PDEs in One Unknown

Abstract: We propose and implement an algorithm for solving an overdetermined system of partial differential equations in one unknown. Our approach relies on Bour-Mayer method to determine compatibility conditions via Jacobi-Mayer brackets. We solve compatible systems recursively by imitating what one would do with pen and paper: Solve one equation, substitute the solution into the remaining equations and iterate the process until the equations of the system are exhausted. The method we employ for assessing the consistency of the underlying system differs from the traditional use of differential Gr\"obner bases yet seems more efficient and straightforward to implement. We are not aware of a computer algebra system that adopts the procedure we advocate in this work.