CHAPTER 2 : FIRST ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATONS
SEPARABLE VARIABLES
DEFINITION: Separable Equation
A first-order differential equation of the form
dy
= g ( x )h( y )
dx
is said to be separable or to have separable variables.
Techniques of Solving:
1
1. Separate the variables: p( y )dy = g( x )dx where p( y ) =
h( y )
2. Integrate both sides
Example :
Find the general solution of the given differential equation.
1) (1 + x )dy − ydx = 0
dy
2) = y2 − 4
dx
(e )
2
3) y
+ 1 e− y dx + (e x + 1)3 e− x dy = 0
Find the particular solution that satisfies the initial condition.
dy x
4) =− ; y (4) = −3
dx y
(y )
2
5) xydx + e− x 2
− 1 dy = 0; y (0) = 1
6) cot xdy − dx = 0; y (0) = 2
LINEAR EQUATIONS
DEFINITION: Linear Equation
A first-order differential equation of the form
dy
a1( x ) + a0 ( x )y = g( x ) -------------------------------(1)
dx
is said to be a linear equation in the dependent variable y .
If g( x ) = 0, homogeneous and if g( x ) 0, nonhomogeneous.
Techniques of Solving:
dy
1. Put a linear equation (1) into the standard form: + P( x )y = f ( x ) .
dx
2. Identify P ( x ) and find the integrating factor (IF).
IF = e
P ( x )dx
3. Multiply the standard form of the equation by the integrating factor (IF).
dy
IF. + P( x )y = IF.f ( x )
dx
4. Rewrite step (iii)
d P ( x )dx
y = e
P ( x )dx
e f (x)
dx
5. Integrate both sides of this last equation.
** the function f ( x ) is called the input or driving function; a solution y ( x ) of the DE for a given
input is called the output or response.
Example:
1. Solve the given differential equation.
dy
a) − 3y = 0
dx
dy
b) − 3y = 6
dx
dy
c) x − 4 y = x 6e x
dx
dy sin x
d) x + 4y = 3
dx x
dy
2. Find the general solution of ( x 2 − 9) + xy = 0 .
dx
3. Solve the given initial-value problem.
dy
a) + y = x, y (0 ) = 4
dx
b)
dy
+ y = f ( x ) where
dx
1, 0 x 1
f (x) =
0, x 1
SOLUTIONS BY SUBSTITUTIONS:
HOMOGENEOUS EQUATIONS
HOMOGENEOUS FUNCTION
If a function f possesses the property f (tx, ty ) = t f ( x, y ) for some real number , then f is said
to be a homogeneous function of degree .
Example:
a) f ( x, y ) = x3 + y 3
b) f ( x, y ) = x 2 − 3xy + 5y 2
c) f ( x, y ) = x 2 − 3xy 2
HOMOGENEOUS EQUATIONS
A first-order De in differential form
M ( x, y ) dx + N ( x, y ) dy = 0 -----------------------------------(2)
is said to be homogeneous if both coefficient function M and N are homogeneous functions of
the same degree.
In other words, (2) is homogeneous if M(tx, ty ) = t M( x, y ) and N(tx, ty ) = t N( x, y ) .
Example:
Show that the following differential equation is homogeneous.
1) (x 2
) (
+ y 2 dx + x 2 − xy dy = 0)
2) (x 2
+ xy ) dx + ( x 3
)
− xy 2 dy = 0
SOLVING A HOMOGENEOUS DE
Techniques of Solving
dy
1. Standard Form: = F ( x, y )
dx
2. Substitute
dy du
y = ux, =u + x
dx dx
Or
dx dv
x = vy, =v + y
dy dy
3. Form separable equations
4. Integrate both sides
y x
5. Replace u = or v = in the answer
x y
Example:
Solve the given differential equation.
1) (x 2
) ( )
+ y 2 dx + x 2 − xy dy = 0
dy
2) xy = x2 + y 2
dx
3) (x 2
)
+ 3xy + y 2 dx − x 2dy = 0
BERNOULLI’S EQUATION
Bernoulli’s equation is a DE in the form
dy
+ P( x )y = f ( x )y n ------------------------------------------(3)
dx
where n is any real number ( n 0,1)
Note:
If n = 0 and n = 1, the DE is linear
For n 0 and n 1 , the substitution u = y1−n reduces any equation of form (3) to a linear equation.
Techniques of Solving
dy
1. Standard Form: + P( x )y = f ( x )y n .
dx
2. Identify n
3. Divide the DE by y n .
du
4. Let u = y1−n and find
dx
**rearrange so that it can be subs in step (3)
du
5. Substitute u and in step (3)
dx
6. Solve using LDE.
7. Replace u = y1−n in final answers.
Example:
Solve the given differential equation.
dy
1) x + y = x2y 2
dx
2)
dy
dx
(
= y xy 3 − 1 )
dy 1
3) x 4 + x3 y = 2
dx y
REDUCTION TO SEPARATION OF VARIABLES
A differential equation of the form
dy
= f ( Ax + By + C )
dx
can always be reduced to an equation with separable variables by means of the substitution
u = Ax + By + C, B 0 .
Example:
Solve
dy
1) = (−2x + y )2 − 7, y (0) = 0
dx
dy
2) = 1 + e y − x +5
dx
dy
3) = 2 + y − 2x + 3
dx
