Example 1:

x1
Write and solve the Hamilton-Jacobi equation corresponding to the functional J [ y ]   y '2 dx
x0

and use the result to determine the extremals of J[y].

Solution:
F S
p   2y
y ' y
p
y' 
2
Hamilton equation:
H=py ' F
p
 p    y '2
2
p2 p2
 
2 4
p2

4
Hamilton-Jacobi equation:
S
H 0
x
S p 2
 0
x 4
2
S 1  S 
   0
x 4  y 
2
S  S 
4    0
x  y 
Finding the solution:
2
 S  S
   4
 y  x
let
S 

x 4
S

y
we find
S S
dS  dx  dy
x y

 dS   4  dx    dy

S  x  y  
4

The extremals of the functional:

S x
   y  0  constant=
 4
x
  y  constant
4
Example 2:
Write and solve the Hamilton-Jacobi equation corresponding to the functional
x1
J [ y ]   f ( y ) 1  y '2 dx and use the result to determine the extremals of J[y].
x0

Solution:
F S y'
p   f ( y)
y ' y 1  y '2
y'
p  f ( y)
1  y '2
squaring both sides
2
 y' 
 p  f ( y) 
  2 
 1 y ' 
2
y'
p2  f 2 ( y)
1  y '2
simplifying the above equation in terms of y' as a function of p
p
y' 
f ( y)  p2
2

Hamilton equation:
H  py ' F
 p 
 p   f ( y ) 1  y '2
 2 
f ( y)  p 
2

p2 p2
  f ( y) 1 
f 2 ( y)  p2 f 2 ( y)  p2
p2 f 2 ( y)
 
f 2 ( y)  p2 f 2 ( y)  p2
  f 2 ( y)  p2
Hamilton-Jacobi equation:
S
H 0
x
S
 f 2 ( y)  p2  0
x
S
 f 2 ( y)  p2
x
squaring both sides
 S 
 
2 2

   f 2 ( y)  p2
 x 
 S 
2

  f ( y)  p
2 2

 x 
2
 S   S 
2

    f ( y)
2

 x   y 
finding the solution:
2
 S   S 
2

  f ( y)  
2
 
 x   y 
let
 S  S
2

   
2

 x  x
and
S
 f 2 ( y)   2
y
we find
S S
dS  dx  dy
x y

 dS    dx   f ( y )   2 dy
2

S   x   f ( )  
2 2
d  

the extremals of the functional:

S 2 d
 x  constant
x 2 f 2 ( )   2
d
x    constant
f 2 ( )   2