Differential Equations
Elementary Applications of Differential
Equations of the First Order
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an intuitive and computational understanding of
differential equations by solving a variety of application
problems arising from biology, chemistry, physics,
engineering and mathematics.
2. Demonstrate the ability to integrate knowledge and ideas of
differential equations in a coherent and meaningful manner
for solving real world problems
3. Demonstrate the ability to think critically by developing
appropriate mathematical models of physical systems
Elementary Applications of Differential
Equations of the First Order
1. Orthogonal Trajectories
2. Growth, Decay and
Investment
3. Newton’s Law of Cooling
4. Mixture Flow Problems
5. Chemical Reactions
6. Mechanics Problems
7. Electric Circuits
Orthogonal Trajectories
It is found desirable to know what curves have
the property of intersecting a curve of the
family
f x, y, c 0
at right angles whenever they do intersect.
Orthogonal Trajectories
• comes from Greek
orthogonios "at right angles"
based on orthos "right,
correct" + gonia "angle”
• the orthogonal trajectories are
another family of curves in
which each curve is
perpendicular to the curves in
original family
Orthogonal Trajectories
Procedure:
1. Eliminate the arbitrary constant
by differentiating the given equation.
2. Change dy/dx into - or - =
3. Integrate and add arbitrary constant C.
Orthogonal Trajectories
Problem:
Find the orthogonal trajectories of the given curve:
Solution:
a. Solve for the derivative of the given equation to eliminate the arbitrary
constant
multiply by ½ and rearrange the equation to obtain the slope
b. Change to -
Orthogonal Trajectories
b. Change to -
c. Integrate and add arbitrary constant C.
Problem:
Orthogonal Trajectories
Find the orthogonal trajectory of the family of lines passing through the
origin
Solution:
Orthogonal Trajectories
Solution:
=c
Examples
Problems:
1. The cissoids y 2 x3
a
x
2. y C sec x tan x
3. The trisectrices of Maclaurin a x y 2 x2 3a
x
Examples
Answers:
x C 2x 2 y 2
2
1. 2
y 2
2. y 2 2 C sin x
x Cy 3 5x 2
5
3. 2
y 2
y2
Growth, Decay and Investment
Mathematical Model
dP kPdt P P0 e kt
where
P = population at a given time
t = time
k = constant of proportionality; rate of
growth (+) or decay (-); rate of
continuous compound interest
P0 = initial value of population
Growth, Decay and Investment
Mathematical Model
dP kPdt
𝑑𝑃
∫ 𝑃 =𝑘∫ 𝑑𝑡
𝑙𝑛𝑃=𝑘𝑡 +𝑙𝑛𝑐
𝑒 𝑙𝑛𝑃 =𝑒( 𝑘𝑡 +𝑙𝑛𝑐 )=𝑐𝑒 𝑘𝑡
𝑃=𝑐𝑒 𝑘𝑡
Growth, Decay and Investment
To solve for c, substitute initial values, at
𝑃0 =𝑐
Therefore,
𝑷= 𝑷 𝟎 𝒆 𝒌𝒕
Growth, Decay and Investment
Problem 1:
A bacterial culture is known to grow at a rate proportional to
the amount present. After 1 hour, 1000 strands of the bacteria
are observed in the culture, and after 4 hours, there are 3, 000
strands. Find (a) an expression for the number of strands of the
bacteria in the culture , (b) the number of strands of the bacteria
originally in the culture and (c) the number of strands of bacteria
after 5 hours.
Growth, Decay and Investment
Given:
t (hrs) 0 1 4
P (strands) P0 1000 3000
Required: (a) P at any time t (b) P0 (c) P at t=5
Solution:
The mathematical model is
1. Solve for the proportionality constant k
@ t=1, P=1000 Equation 1
Growth, Decay and Investment
@ t=4, P=3000
Equation 2
Substitute Po from equation 1
Simplify the equation and solve for k
Growth, Decay and Investment
2. Solve for P0
From Equation 1, substitute k and solve for P0
Then the function of P at any time t is
@t=5, P=? : From the function of P at any given time
Growth, Decay and Investment
Problem 2:
Radium disintegrates at a rate proportional to the amount
present. If 100mg are set aside now, 96 mg will be left 100 years
hence. Find the function of P at any t. Determine the amount left
after 2.56 centuries and the half-life of radium.
Growth, Decay and Investment
Given:
t (centuries) 0 1 2.56 T=half-life
P (mg) 100 96 ? 50
Required: (a) P at any time t (b) P at t=2.56 centuries (c)t at P=50mg
Solution:
The mathematical model is
dP kPdt
1. Solve for the proportionality constant k
Growth, Decay and Investment
(a) The amount of radium P at any time t is
(b) At t=2.56, P=?
(c) t=half-life, P=50mg
Examples
Problems:
1. Compare the final amounts at the end of a
year of
$100 invested at 5% in two ways: simple interest and
continuous compound interest.
2. A radioactive substance is known to have a half-life of
78 years. Calculate the number of years it would take
for this substance to decrease to 10% its original
amount.
3. A city has been found to have a population that triples
every four years. If the city’s population is one million
in 2010, how many people were there in 1990?
Newton’s Law of Cooling
Mathematical Model
dT k T Ta dt T Ta
kt
Ce
a e kt
where
T T T
a 0
T = temperature of the object at a given time
t = time T
k = constant of proportionality; rate
of cooling
T0 = initial temperature of the object
Ta = surrounding (ambient)
temperature
Newton’s Law of Cooling
dT k (T Ta)dt
Newton’s Law of Cooling
Problem:
A thermometer is taken from a room that is 20°C to the outdoors where
the temperature is 5°C. After one minute, the thermometer reads 12°C. Use
Newton’s Law of Cooling to answer the following questions.
(a) What will the reading on the thermometer be after one more
minute?
(b) When will the thermometer read 6°C?
Newton’s Law of Cooling
Solution:
Ta t(min) 0 1 2 t
5 T(°C) 20 12 T2 6
Solve for the rate of cooling k
The function of T at any t is :
a. Solve for the reading on the thermometer after one more minute
@t=2 min, T2=?:
Newton’s Law of Cooling
Solution:
b. Solve for t=? min, T= 6
Newton’s Law of Cooling
Problem:
At midnight, with the temperature inside your house at 70°F and
the temperature outside at 20 °F, your furnace breaks down. Two hours
later, the temperature in your house has fallen to 50 °F. Assume that
the outside temperature remains constant at 20 °F. At what time will
the inside temperature of your house reach 40 °F?
Newton’s Law of Cooling
Solution:
Ta t(hrs) 0 (12:00AM) 2 (2:00 AM) t
20 T(°F) 70 50 40
Solve for the rate of cooling k
The function of T at any t is :
a. Solve for the time when the temperature will be 40 °F
Examples
Problems:
1. A cup of coffee at boiling point temperature is brought to a room
at 20°C. After five minutes, the temperature of coffee drops to
half of its original temperature. Find the time it takes for the cup
of coffee to cool down at
a. 30°C.
b. 25°C.
2. According to experienced baristas, the optimal temperature to
serve coffee is between 155F and 175F. Suppose coffee is poured
at a temperature of 200F, and after 2 minutes in a 70F room it has
cooled to 180F. When is the coffee first cool enough to serve?
When is the coffee too cold to serve?
Examples
Problems:
3. At 1:00PM, a thermometer reading 75°F is taken out where the
temperature is 20 °F. The reading is 30 °F, 4 minutes later. Find
(a) The thermometer reading 7 minutes after the thermometer was
first brought outside
(b) At what time will the temperature reading be within half a degree
of the air temperature
References
• Elementary Differential Equations by Rainville and
Bedient, 9ed
• Advanced Engineering Mathematics by Kreyszig,
9ed
• Online references and journals
• Calculus with Analytic Geometry by Peterson
THANK YOU
