Module 3

Separable Dierential Equations

Objective
After completing this module, the students should be able to
 determine whether the given dierential equation is separable
 solve separable dierential equations

Lecture
In this module and the succeeding modules, our goal is to solve a given dierential equation. By solving
a DE we mean nding a solution to the given DE. We investigate the rst order dierential equations of the
form
( )
M x; y dx + N (x; y )dy = 0: (1)
Note that both M and N are functions of both x and y .

Eqn. (1) is said to be separable if we can rewrite the equation to the form
( )
A x dx = B (y )dy: (2)
Meaning we can isolate those that are in terms of x on one side of the equation and those that are in terms
of y on the other side of the equation. The solution to Eqn. (2) can be obtained by integrating both sides
of the equation. The general solution can be written in the form F = c where c is an arbitrary constant. It
can be checked that taking the total dierential of F = c will lead to Eqn. (2).

Example 1. Find the general solution of 3ydx 2xdy = 0.

Solution
Applying legitimate mathematical process, we try to rewrite the given equation in the form of Eqn. (2). So
we have
3ydx = 2xdy
3dx 2dy
=
x y

Integrating both sides to the equation results to

Z Z
3dx 2dy
=
Z Z
x y

dx dy
3 =2
x y

3lnx + c1 = 2lny + c2
3lnx 2lny = c2 c1
We can consider c2 c 1 = c, so that
3lnx 2lny = c
In succeedding discussions we try to simplify the arbitrary constants as a single arbitrary constant (if
possible).

1
Example 2. Solve the dierential equation y0 = ex+2y .
Solution
We rst check if the given DE is separable.
y
0 = ex+2y

= ex e2y
dy

dx
dy x
2y = e dx
e

e
2y dy = ex dx
Z Z
e
2y dy = ex dx
2y
= ex + c
e

2
1
= ex + c
2e2y
1 = 2ex e2y + ce2y

A student who wants to verify the integral of a given function may check it with https://www.wolframalpha.com
.

A problem of determining a solution to a given dierential equation with initial conditions is reered
to as initial value problem. Initial conditions are given initial values (x0 ; y0 ), a point where a solution passes
through.

Example 3. Solve the equation xydx (x + 3)dy = 0 with the initial condition that when x = 2; y = 3.
Solution
We rst investigate whether the given dierential equation is separarble.
xydx (x + 3)dy = 0
xydx = (x + 3)dy

xdx dy
=
x +3 y

Now that we were able to rewrite the equation such that both members of the equation is a function of either
x or y only, we only need to integrate both sides of the equation.

Z Z
xdx dy
=
x +3
Z  Z
y

3  dy
1 dx =
x +3 y

x 3lnjx + 3j + c = y
y = x 3lnjx + 3j + c

2
To determine the soultion that satises the initial condition, we determine c by letting x = 2 and y = 3.
3 = ( 2) 3lnj( 2) + 3j + c
3 = ( 2) 3lnj1j + c
3 = ( 2) 0 + c
c = 3+2

c = 5

Thus, y = x 3lnjx + 3j + 5 is the solution that passes through ( 2; 3).

Exercises
Solve the following dierential equation.
1. x2 y 2 dx (y 2 + 1)dy = 0
2. ydx (e3x 1)dy =0
3. y 0 xex y = 0
4. (1 y 2 )dx xydy = 0 with the initial conditions x = 1; y = 0
5. x2 y 0 (1 x)y = 0 with the condition that when x = 1; y = 1.

Reference
Rainville, E.D. & Bedient, P.E. (1974). Elementary Dierential Equations 5th ed. pp. 20-24.