Faculty of Science and Technology, School of Science

Separable
Differential
Equations
Separation of
Variables
A first order differential equation of
the form

dy
p x q y
dx

is said to be separable
Separable first order differential
equation

dy
p x q y
dx

p(x) involves only independent

variable x; q(y) involves only
dependent variable y
 Separable first order differential
equation

dy
p x q y
dx

Functions p(x) and q(y) combined by

multiplication or division, but not by
addition or subtraction
 Separable differential equation

dy 2
xy
dx

Functions p(x) = x and q(y) = y2 are

combined by multiplication
Non-separable differential equation

dy 2
xy
dx

Functions p(x) = x and q(y) = y2 are

combined by addition
 Solution mechanism

Separate the variables so that

everything involving x is on the right...

...and everything dy
y and
involving dx

is on the left
We can then integrate both sides with
respect to x

Include arbitrary constant c only on

one side usually on the right

The solution we obtain is known as

the general solution
Example 1
 Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx

Separate the dy 2
xy
variables dx
 Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx

Divide both 1 dy
2
x
sides by y2 y dx

Now separated
 Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx

Integrate both 1 dy
2
dx x dx
sides with y dx
respect to x
 Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx
Integrate LHS
with respect

1
to y, RHS with 2
dy x dx
y
respect to x
 Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx

Include only 2
1 x
one arbitrary c
y 2
constant c
 It is often difficult, or indeed,
impossible to obtain a explicit
general solution for y

1 x 2 2
c y 2
y 2 x 2c

Although it can be
done this time
 It is often difficult, or indeed,
impossible to obtain a explicit
general solution for y

1 x 2 2
c y 2
y 2 x k

k is just as good a
constant as 2c
Example 2
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt

We are looking for p as a

function of t
 Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt

Separate the 5p
dp
4t 1
variables dt
Wait a minute,
they already are!
 Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt

Integrate both
dp
sides with 5p 4t 1
dt
respect to t
 Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt

Integrate both dp
sides with 5p dt 4t 1 dt
dt
respect to t
 Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt

Integrate LHS
with respect to 5p dp 4t 1 dt
p, RHS with
respect to t
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt

2
5p
Integrate 2t 2 t c
2
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt

24 2 2 2
Integrate p t t c
5 5 5
Not easy to obtain
p explicitly
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt

24 2 2
Integrate p t t k
5 5
k is just as good a
constant!
Particular
Solutions
 In order to specify the arbitrary
constant, we need some extra
information about the problem

Once we have specified the arbitrary

constant, the updated solution is
known as a particular solution
 In order to specify the arbitrary
constant, we need some extra
information about the problem

For first order equations, we only

need one extra piece of information
 For first order equations, we only
need one extra piece of information

This condition is usually a specified

known value y for a given value x

This is often termed an initial

condition
 Example

...for which y = 1 when x = 0

...for which y (0) = 1

Example 3
Obtain the particular solution of
separable differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

for which s = 4 when r = 2

Obtain the particular solution of
separable differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

for which s (2) = 4

 First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

Factorise the ds 2
r s 1 2r
RHS dr
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 1 2r
dr

Separate the 1 ds 1 2r 2

variables s dr r
 First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

Integrate both 1 ds 1 2r 2
sides with dr dr
s dr r
respect to r
 First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
Integrate LHS

with respect to 1 1 2r 2
ds dr
s, RHS with s r
respect to r
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

1 1 2r 2
Integrate ds dr
s r r
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

1
1
Integrate ds 2r dr
s r
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

2
Integrate lns lnr r c
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

2
Integrate lns lnr r ln k
Writing the constant as ln k
is a good idea when
logarithms are involved
 First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

Take lns lnr r 2 lnk

e e
exponentials
 First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

lns l nr r 2 lnk
Take e e e e
exponentials
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

General r 2
s kre
solution
Now substitute the extra information
to obtain the arbitrary constant

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr

r 2
s = 4 when r = 2 s kre
Now substitute the extra information
to obtain the arbitrary constant

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
r 2
s kre
22
s (2) = 4 4 k 2 e
Now substitute the extra information
to obtain the arbitrary constant

ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
4
4 2ke
s (2) = 4 4
k 2e
 Now replace k with the value we
have obtained for it

General r 2
solution s kre

Particular 4
s 2e re r 2
solution
 Now replace k with the value we
have obtained for it

General r 2
solution s kre

Particular s 2re 4r 2
solution