First Order Ordinary Differential
Equations-Separable ODEs
Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problems, 7th Edition,
Section 2.2
Dr. Hina Dutt
[Link]@[Link]
In this section we discuss various methods of
solving first order ODEs.
These include:
• Separable ODEs
• Homogeneous ODEs
• Exact ODEs
• ODEs reducible to exact
• Linear ODEs
• Bernoulli Equation
y = f ( x, y)
Linear Non-linear
Integrating Factor Reducible to
Exact
Separable Homogeneous Exact
Transform to
Transform to separable Exact
Separable ODEs
Separable ODEs
The first order ODE
dy
= f ( x, y ) (1)
dx
is called separable provided that f(x,y)
can be written as the product of a
function of x and a function of y.
Examples of Separable ODEs
Solving Separable ODEs
Suppose we can write the equation (1) as
dy
= g ( x ) h( y )
dx
We then say we have “ separated ” the
variables. By taking h(y) to the LHS, the
equation becomes
1
dy = g ( x)dx
h( y )
Integrating, we get the solution as
1
h( y )
dy = g ( x ) dx + c
where c is an arbitrary constant.
Example: Solve the differential equation
y
y' = .
x
Solution: dy y
Here = , that can be written as
dx x
1 1
dy = dx.
y x
Integrating both sides of the above equation we get
ln y = ln x + ln c,
which by using the properties of logarithm becomes
y = cx.
This is the general solution of the given differential equation.
Example: Solve the differential equation
y
y' = .
x
Solution: dy y
Here = , that can be written as
dx x
1 1
dy = dx.
y x
Integrating both sides of the above equation we get
ln y = ln x + ln c,
which by using the properties of logarithm becomes
y = cx.
This is the general solution of the given differential equation.
Example: Solve the initial value problem
dy x
=− , y (4) = 3
dx y
Solution: dy − x
Here = , that can be written as
dx y
ydy = − xdx.
Integrating both sides of the above equation we get
y 2
−x c2 2
= + ,
2 2 2
which on simplification becomes
x2 + y 2 = c2 .
This is the general solution of the given differential equation.
Example: Solve the initial value problem
dy x
=− , y (4) = 3
dx y
Solution:
By using the given condition y (4) = 3, we get
16 + 9 = c c = 5
2
Thus, we get a particular solution of the form
x + y = 25,
2 2
which represents an equation of a circle with centre at origin and radius 5.
x2 + y 2 = c2
Figure: Integral curves of y y’+ x = 0 for c = 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 5, 6
Example: Find general solution of
𝑥 sin 𝑦 𝑑𝑥 − 𝑥 2 + 1 cos 𝑦 𝑑𝑦 = 0
Example: Find general solution of
𝑥 sin 𝑦 𝑑𝑥 − 𝑥 2 + 1 cos 𝑦 𝑑𝑦 = 0
Solution: Eq. (1), can be rewritten as
cos y x
dy = 2 dx.
sin y x +1
Integrating both sides of the above equation we get
1
ln sin y = ln( x 2 + 1) + ln c
2
which on simplification becomes
sin y = c ( x + 1) .
2
This is the general solution of the given differential equation.
Practice Questions
Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problem, 7th
edition,
• Ex. 2.2
• Q.1-Q.28
16
