Eulers Theorem

Homogeneous function of two variables:

𝑦 𝑥
Definition: If 𝑢 = 𝑥 𝑛 𝜙 ( ) or = 𝑦 𝑛 𝜙 ( ) , then 𝑢 is called homogeneous function
𝑥 𝑦
of 𝑥, 𝑦 of degree n.

Example: Prove that 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 2 is a homogeneous function of

degree 2.

Solution: Here, 𝑓 (𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 2

2
3𝑥𝑦 𝑦 2
= 𝑥 (1 + 2 + 2 )
𝑥 𝑥

2
𝑦 𝑦2
= 𝑥 {1 + 3. + 2 }
𝑥 𝑥
𝑦
= 𝑥2 𝜙 ( )
𝑥
𝐻𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) is a homogeneous function of degree two.

𝑂𝑟

Here, 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 2

2
3𝑥𝑦 𝑥 2
= 𝑦 (1 + 2 + 2 )
𝑦 𝑦

2
𝑥 𝑥2
= 𝑦 {1 + 3. + 2 }
𝑦 𝑦
𝑥
= 𝑦2 𝜙 ( )
𝑦

𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) is a homogeneous function of degree two.

 Euler’s theorem for homogeneous function of two variables
Theorem: If 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) is a homogeneous function of 𝑥, 𝑦 of degree 𝑛, then
show that
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝑥 +𝑦 = 𝑛𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

Proof: Since 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) is a homogeneous function of degree 𝑛

𝑦
By definition we can write , 𝑢 = 𝑥 𝑛 𝜙 ( )
𝑥

𝜕𝑢 𝑦 𝑦 𝜕 𝑦
= 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1 𝜙 ( ) + 𝑥 𝑛 𝜙 ′ ( ) . ( )
𝜕𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝑥

𝑦 𝑦 𝑦
= 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1 𝜙 ( ) + 𝑥 𝑛 𝜙′ ( ) (− 2)
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

𝑦 𝑦
= 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1 𝜙 ( ) − 𝑥 𝑛−2 𝑦𝜙′ ( )
𝑥 𝑥

𝜕𝑢 𝑦 𝑦
𝑥 = 𝑛𝑥 𝑛 𝜙 ( ) − 𝑥 𝑛−1 𝑦𝜙′ ( )
𝜕𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

𝜕𝑢 𝑦 𝜕 𝑦
= 𝑥 𝑛 𝜙′ ( ) ∙ ( )
𝜕𝑦 𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝑥

𝑦 1
= 𝑥 𝑛𝜙′ ( ) .
𝑥 𝑥

𝑦
= 𝑥 𝑛−1 𝜙 ′ ( )
𝑥

𝜕𝑢 𝑦
𝑦 = 𝑥 𝑛−1 𝑦𝜙 ′ ( )
𝜕𝑦 𝑥

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝑦 𝑦 𝑦
∴𝑥 +𝑦 = 𝑛𝑥 𝑛−1 𝜙 ( ) − 𝑥 𝑛−2 𝑦𝜙 ′ ( ) + 𝑥 𝑛−1 𝑦𝜙 ′ ( )
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

𝑦
= 𝑛𝑥 𝑛 𝜙 ( )
𝑥

𝑦
= 𝑛𝑢 [∴ 𝑢 = 𝑥 𝑛 𝜙 ( )]
𝑥

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
∴𝑥 +𝑦 = 𝑛𝑢 (Proved)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
𝑬𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆: 𝑢 = 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
= 2𝑥, = 2𝑦
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝑥 +𝑦 = 2𝑥 2 + 2𝑦 2 = 2(𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 ) = 𝑛𝑢 [𝑛 = 2]
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

Problem 01: If 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) is a homogeneous function of degree n, then show that

𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢
𝑥2 2
+ 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦2 = 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 2

Solution: Sine 𝑢 is a homogeneous function of 𝑥 and 𝑦.

Using Euler’s theorem we can write,

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝑥 +𝑦 = 𝑛𝑢………………………………………………….………..(1)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕
Now,
𝜕𝑥
(𝑥 𝜕𝑥 + 𝑦 𝜕𝑦) = 𝜕𝑥 (𝑛𝑢)

𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
⇒𝑥 2
+𝑦 + =𝑛 …………………………………………….(2)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕
Again,
𝜕𝑦
(𝑥 𝜕𝑥 + 𝑦 𝜕𝑦) = 𝜕𝑦 (𝑛𝑢)

𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
⇒𝑥 +𝑦 + =𝑛 ………………………………………….….(3)
𝜕𝑦𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦

Now, 2× 𝒙 + 𝟑 × 𝒚
𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
⇒ 𝑥2 2
+𝑥 + 𝑥𝑦 + 𝑥𝑦 + +𝑦 = 𝑛𝑥 + 𝑛𝑦
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢 is a homogeneous function of 𝑥, 𝑦

𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
∴ 𝑥2 2
+ 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦2 +𝑥 +𝑦 = 𝑛 (𝑥 +𝑦 )
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢
⇒ 𝑥2 2
+ 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦2 + 𝑛𝑢 = 𝑛 ∙ 𝑛𝑢 from (1)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 2

𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢
⇒ 𝑥2 2
+ 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦2 = 𝑛2 𝑢 − 𝑛𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 2
 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢
⇒ 𝑥2 2
+ 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦2 = 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 2

Example 02: If 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) is a homogeneous function of degree 2/3/4 … .. then

show that

2
𝜕2𝑢 𝜕2𝑢 2
𝜕2𝑢
𝑥 + 2𝑥𝑦 +𝑦 = 2𝑢
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑥𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 2

Example 03: If 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) is a homogeneous function of degree 𝑛, then show

that

𝜕 𝜕 2
(𝑥 + 𝑦 ) 𝑢 = 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

Proof: Previous part +

𝜕 2 𝜕 𝜕 𝜕 2
{(𝑥 𝜕𝑥) + 2 (𝑥 𝜕𝑥) (𝑦 𝜕𝑦) + (𝑦 𝜕𝑦) } 𝑢 = 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)𝑢

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 2
⇒ (𝑥 +𝑦 ) 𝑢 = 𝑛(𝑛 − 1)𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝑥 2 + 𝑥𝑦 𝑦 2 + 𝑥𝑦
Example 04: 𝑢 = | |
𝑦4 𝑥 4 + 𝑥 3𝑦
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
Using Euler’s theorem show that, 𝑥 +𝑦 = 6𝑢.
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

1 1 1
Example 05: If 𝑢 = | 𝑥 𝑦 𝑥+𝑦 |
𝑥2 𝑦2 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
Show that, 𝑥 +𝑦 = 3𝑢.
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝑥 𝑥 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
Example: If 𝑢 = sin−1 + tan−1 , then show that 𝑥 +𝑦 = 0.
𝑦 𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

Solution:
𝑥 𝑥
Given, 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = sin−1 + tan−1
𝑦 𝑦
 𝑡𝑥 𝑡𝑥
Then, 𝑓(𝑡𝑥, 𝑡𝑦) = sin−1 + tan−1
𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑦

𝑥 𝑥
= 𝑡 0 (sin−1 + tan−1 )
𝑦 𝑦

= 𝑡 0 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦)

∴ 𝑢 is a homogeneous function of degree 0.

Now, from Euler’s theorem we can write

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝑥 +𝑦 = 𝑛𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
⇒𝑥 +𝑦 = 0. 𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
⇒𝑥 +𝑦 =0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

1
𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕2 𝑢
Problem 07: If 𝑢 = tan(𝑦 + 𝑎𝑥) + (𝑦 − 𝑎𝑥)2 , then show that, = 𝑎2 .
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2

Problem 08: If 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦), and 𝑥 = 𝑟 cosh 𝜃,

𝑦 = 𝑟 sinh 𝜃

then show that,

𝜕𝑢 2 1 𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 2
( ) − 2( ) = ( ) −( )
𝜕𝑟 𝑟 𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

Solution: Here, 𝑥 = 𝑟 cosh 𝜃

𝑦 = 𝑟 sinh 𝜃 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑟, 𝜃), 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑟, 𝜃)

𝜕𝑥
= cosh 𝜃
𝜕𝑟

𝜕𝑥
= 𝑟 sinh 𝜃
𝜕𝜃

𝜕𝑦
= sinh 𝜃
𝜕𝑟
𝜕𝑦
= 𝑟 cosh 𝜃
𝜕𝜃

Since, 𝑢 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦)
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑦
∴ = ∙ + ∙
𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑟

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
= ∙ cosh 𝜃 + ∙ sinh 𝜃 ………………………………………..…..….(1)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑦
Now, = ∙ + ∙
𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝜃

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
= ∙ r sinh 𝜃 + ∙ rcosh 𝜃 ……………………………………………..(2)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

1 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
∴ = ∙ sinh 𝜃 + ∙ cosh 𝜃 …………………………………………(3)
𝑟 𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

Now, squaring eqn (1) and eqn (3) then subtracting, we get
𝜕𝑢 2 1 𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 2
( 𝜕𝑟 ) − 𝑟 2 (𝜕𝜃) = (𝜕𝑥 ∙ cosh 𝜃 + 𝜕𝑦 ∙ sinh 𝜃) − (𝜕𝑥 ∙ sinh 𝜃 + 𝜕𝑦 ∙ cosh 𝜃)

𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 2
= ( ) 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 ℎ𝜃 + 2 ∙ cosh 𝜃 ∙ sinh 𝜃 + ( ) 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 ℎ𝜃 − ( ) 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 ℎ𝜃 −
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 2
2 ∙ cosh 𝜃 ∙ sinh 𝜃 + ( ) 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 ℎ𝜃
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 2
= ( ) {𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 ℎ𝜃 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 ℎ𝜃} − ( ) {𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 ℎ𝜃 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 ℎ𝜃}
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 2
= ( ) .1 − ( ) .1
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 2
=( ) −( )
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑢 2 1 𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 2 𝜕𝑢 2
∴ ( ) − 2 ( ) = ( ) − ( ) (Proved).
𝜕𝑟 𝑟 𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦