Midterm test SOLUTIONS

1. (18 pts)
a) Write a differential equation describing a function y(x) with the
following property: the slope of the tangent to the graph at a point
(x, y) is the product of the coordinates x and y.
Solution.
.

dy
= xy.
dx
b) Give an example of such a function by solving the differential equation.
Solution. Separating the variables, we have
Z
dy Z
= xdx,
y
x2
+ C,
2
2
y = Dex /2 .

ln |y| =

2. (20 pts)
a) Does the Existence and Uniqueness Theorem guarantee the uniqueness of a solution for the initial value problem
dy

= x 3 y, y(0) = 0?
dx
Solution. No, as the partial derivative of the right-hand side with
respect to y is

(x 3 y)
x
= xy 2/3 =
3
y
y2
which is not continuous at (0, 0).
Solve the initial value problem to see if the solution is unique.
Solution. Separating the variables, we have
dy
= xdx, or y 0

3 y
The first equation produces the solution y = (x2 /3)3/2 to our initial
value problem, however, the second equation y 0 is also a solution.
Hence, the solution is not unique.
3. (20 pts) Solve the following first-order differential equations:
3
a) y 0 + 3x2 y = x2 ex
Solution. This is a first order linear equation. The integrating factor
is
R 2
3
e 3x dx = ex .
Multiplying by it, we have
3

(ex y)0 = x2 ,
3

ex y = x3 /3 + C,
1

2
3

y = ex (x3 /3 + C).
b) y 0 1 =

yx+1

Solution. We make a substitution v = y x + 1. Then y = v + x 1,

and y 0 = v 0 + 1. Hence,

v 0 = v.
Solving this separable equation, we obtain


v=

x+c
2

and


y=

x+c
2

2

2

+x1

4. (18 pts) Population of fish at a fish farm measured in thousands

is described by a logistic differential equation with harvesting:
dP
= 0.1P (9 P ) 2.
dt
a) Find the equilibrium soultions and draw a phase diagram to classify
them as stable/unstable.
Solution. Setting the right-hand side equal to zero, we have
P (9 P ) 20 = 0,
P 2 9P + 20 = 0,
(P 4)(P 5) = 0,
hence the equilibrium solutions are P 4 and P 5. The phase
diagram is
< (4) > (5) < .
b) If the initial population is P (0) = 3 (thousand), will there be a
moment t > 0 when P (t) = 3.5? With this initial population is the
farm going to be sustainable? (You do not have to solve the equation).
Solution. Since P (t) decreases if P (0) < 4, such a moment of time
will not exist. The farm will not be sustainable as eventually P (t) = 0.
5. (10 pts) Use the Wronskian to verify that the functions e2x and
cos x are linearly independent. (Justify your reasoning carefully).
Solution. The Wronskian is

 e2x
cos x

W =  2x
 2e
sin x

= e2x (sin x + 2 cos x).

Since W (0) = 2 6= 0, the Wronskian is not identically zero, and

therefore the functions are linearly independent.
6. (14 pts) Find the general solutions of the equation:
y 00 + 2y 0 3y = 0.
Solution. The characteristic equation is
r2 + 2r 3 = 0,
(r + 1)2 = 4,
r1 = 3, r2 = 1.
Hence, y = c1 e3x + c2 ex .