DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

have any arbitrary constant, then it is

classified as particular solution.

A differential equation is an equation that

contains derivatives or differentials.
Examples:
1)
2)
3).

d2 y
dy
+ 5 +6 y=0
2
dx
dx
dy=( 2 x + y ) dx
z
z
+2 x
=5
x
y

Types of differential equations:

1. Ordinary one that contains only
one independent variable.
(Examples 1 & 2)
2. Partial one that contains two or
more independent variables.
(Example 3)
The order of a differential equation is the
order of the highest-ordered derivative
appearing in the equation. In the above
examples, the first is of order two and the
second is of order one.
The degree of a differential equation is
the power of the highest-ordered derivative
occurring in the equation. In the above
examples, all the three equations are of
degree one. The differential equation

y right )} ^ {{2} / {3}} =2+3y'

can be rationalized by cubing both sides to

obtain

y right )} ^ {2} = {left (2+3y' right )} ^ {3}

First Order Differential Equations:

I. Variable Separable
A first order equation is variable
separable if it can be transformed into the
form
A(x)dx + B(y)dy = 0
The solution is obtained by integrating each
term of the above equation.
II. Homogeneous
A function f(x, y) is homogeneous of
degree k if there is a number such that
f(x, y) = kf(x, y)
Note that all monomials are homogeneous
while a polynomial is homogeneous only if
all of its terms are of the same degree.The
equation
M(x, y)dx + N(x, y)dy = 0
belongs to this type if M(x, y) and N(x, y) are
both homogeneous of the same degree.
The solution can be obtained by replacing x
by vy or y by vx which will consequently
transform the equation into one that is
variable separable.
III. Exact
The equation M(x,y)dx + N(x,y)dy = 0 is
exact if

M N
=
y x

. Thus, it is of degree two.

The equation is considered linear if it is of

the first degree in the dependent variable
and its derivatives.

The solution is obtained by using the

equation

DI + NDI =c

where
A solution to a differential equation is an
equation, free of derivatives, that satisfies
the given equation. If the solution contains
at least one arbitrary constant, it is classified
as general solution; if the solution doesnt

DI

is the sum of directly integrable

integrals such as

g ( y ) dy

NDI

f ( x ) dx

or

of the equation and

is the sum of non-directly

the

integrable integrals i.e integrals of the

form f ( x , y ) dx g ( x , y ) dy of
equation taken from either the first or
the second term of the given equation.

IV. Linear Equation of Order One

A first order equation belongs to this type if
it can be transformed into the form

dy
+ P ( x ) y=Q ( x)
dx

The solution is obtained by first solving for

the integrating factor (IF) using
IF = e Pdx
and substituting into the equation

y ( IF ) = Q ( IF ) dx
V. Bernoullis Equation
A first order equation belongs to this type if
it can be transformed into the form

dy
+ P ( x ) y=Q (x) y n
dx

The solution can be obtained by dividing

both sides of the equation by yn thus getting

yn

dy
+ P ( x ) y 1n=Q(x)
dx

Using the substitution z = y1 n the equation

is transformed into a linear equation of order
one.
Example: Solve the equation
y = y xy3e-2x
Solution:
Transforming the equation into the
standard form, we get

dy
3 2 x
y=x y e
dx

Dividing the equation by y3, we get

dy
y
y 2=x e2 x
dx
If we let z= y2 , then dz=2 y3 dy .

dz
+2 z=2 x e2 x
dx

in z
where P(x) = 2 and the integrating factor is
IF = e Pdx =e 2 dx =e 2 x
Thus, the resulting equation becomes
2x
2 x 2 x
z e = x e e dx

1 2 c
x
2
2
1
Replacing z by
,
2
y
1 2 x 1 2 c
e =
x
2
2
y2
ze 2 x =

or

2 e2 x = y 2 ( x2 + c)

dy
2y
2 y 2 =2 x e2 x
dx
3

Answer

VI. Equations where the integrating factor

can be determined
Consider the equation
M(x, y)dx + N(x, y)dy = 0.
Case I. For the case where

1 M N

=f ( x)
N y x

the desired integrating factor is

IF = e f (x )dx
Case II. For the case where

1 M N

=g ( y)
M y x

the desired integrating factor is

IF = e g ( y ) dy
Example: Solve the equation
y(8x 9y) dx + 2x(x 3y) dy = 0.
Solution:

M
=8 x18 y
y

N
=4 x6 y
x
Taking the difference, we get

M N

=4 x12 y=4 (x3 y)

y x

Hence, the above equation becomes

linear

which is divisible by N. Hence

4 ( x3 y ) 2
1 M N

=
=
N y x
2 x ( x3 y ) x

The integrating factor is then equal to

IF =

2x dx

=e 2 ln x =x 2

Multiplying the given equation by x2, we get

x2y(8x 9y) dx + 2x3(x 3y) dy = 0
which is now an exact equation. Note that
no term is directly integrable. Taking the
non-directly integrable integrals from the
first term, we get

8 x3 y
(9 x2 y 2)dx=c

2 x 4 y 3 x 3 y 2=c

A.
B.
C.
D.

2ydx xdy = 0
2xdx ydy = 0
ydx - 2xdy = 0
ydx + 2xdy = 0

6. Which of the following is a solution of the

differential equation 4y + 9y = 0?
A. y = c1ex + c2ex
B. y = c1e(2/3)x + c2ex
C. y = c1 cos x + c2 sin x
D. y = c1 cos (3x/2) + c2 sin (3x/2)
7. Solve the differential equation
dy=x x 2 +9 dx ,
if the curve passes through (4, 0).

3/ 2
1 2
y= ( x +9 ) +13
3
3
Answer
x y ( 2 x3 y ) =c
3/ 2
1
y= ( x 2 +9 ) 13
B.
3
Review Exercises:
( x 2 +9 )
[ 3 /2+ 125]
1. The equation
C.
2 y = {left [1+ {left (y' right )} ^ {2} right ]} ^ {{3} / {2}}
1
y=
is of
3
A. second order, first degree
2
( x + 9)
B. second order, second degree
[ 3 / 2125]
C. second order, third degree
D.
1
D. first order, third degree
y=
2
3
2. The equation y = cx is the general

which simplifies into

solution of
A. y = 2y/x
B. y = 2x/y

C. y = y/2x
D. y = x/2y

3. Find the differential equation whose

x
general solution is y = c 1 x +c 2 e .
A. (x 1)y xy + y = 0
B. (x + 1)y xy + y = 0
C. (x 1)y + xy + y = 0
D. (x + 1)y + xy + y = 0
4. Determine the differential equation of
lines passing through (h, k).
A. (y k)dx (x h)dy = 0
B. (x h) + (y k) =dy/dx
C. (x h)dx (y k)dy = 0
D. (x + h)dx (y k)dy = 0
5. What is the differential equation of the
family of parabolas having their vertices
at the origin and their foci on the y-axis?

A.

8. Solve the differential equation:

y = 1 + x + y + xy
A. y = x + (1/2)x2 + xy + (1/2)x2y + c
B. y = y ln |1+ x| + c
C. y = x + (1/2)x2 + c
D. ln |1+ y| = x + (1/2)x2 + c
9. Solve the differential equation
3xy + y = 12x
A. y = 3x + cx 1/3
B. y = 3x + c
C. y = 4x + cx1/3
D. y = 4x + cx 1/3
10. A certain radioactive substance has a
half-life of 38 hr. Find how long it takes
for 90% of the radioactivity to be
dissipated.
A. 162 hr.
C. 145 hr.
B. 126 hr.
D. 154 hr.

11. A bacterial population is known to have

a rate of growth proportional to the
population itself. If between noon and 2
P.M. the population triples, at what time,
no controls being exerted, should the
population become 100 times what it
was at noon.
A. 8:05 P.M.
C. 8:23 P.M.
B. 8:16 P.M.
D. 8:45 P.M.

Answer Key

1. B
2. C
3. A
4. A
5. A
6. D
7. D
8. D
9. A
10. B
11. C