2.

1 Solution Curves (Without a Solution)

a lesson for MATH F302 Differential Equations

Ed Bueler, Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics, UAF

January 19, 2019

for textbook: D. Zill, A First Course in Differential Equations with Modeling Applications, 11th ed.

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 meaning of a differential equation
• start over on the meaning of a differential equation (DE):

dy
= f (x, y )
dx
1 the left side is the slope of the solution y (x)
2 given a point (x, y ), the right side computes a number f (x, y )
• thus a first-order DE says:

the slope of the equals a known function of

=
solution y (x) the location (x, y )

• this literal reading of the DE means that

we can draw a picture of the DE itself
◦ whether or not we can do the calculus/algebra to find a
formula for y (x)

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 direction field
dy
• main idea: = f (x, y ) should be read as computing a slope
dx
m = dy
dx at each point (x, y )
• we can create a direction field or slope field:
1 generate a grid of point in the x,y plane
2 for each point, draw a short line segment with the slope given
by f (x, y ) at that point

• Example. By hand, draw a

direction field for
dy
=x −y
dx
on the square −3 ≤ x ≤ 3,
−3 ≤ y ≤ 3

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 computers are useful
• I acknowledge happily that this is a job for a computer
◦ for computer tools, see “found online” at the Week 2 tab
◦ see also: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slope field
• Example. Use a computer to draw a direction field for
dy
dx = x − y on the square −3 ≤ x ≤ 3, −3 ≤ y ≤ 3

Solution:

def f(x,y): return x - y ←− from my Python code

dirfield(f,[-3,3,-3,3],mx=12,my=12)
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 picturing ODE IVPs
• recall that we are often solving initial value problems
• next main idea: one can see the solution to an ODE IVP by
plotting the initial point in the plane and then following the
direction field both ways from that point

• Example. Use the direc-

tion field for dy
dx = x − y
to sketch the solution
y (x) of

dy
= x − y , y (0) = 2
dx

◦ soon: methods in
§2.3 will give a
formula for y (x)

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 exercise 9 in §2.1
9. Use computer software to
obtain a direction field for the
given differential equation. By
hand, sketch an approximate
solution curve passing through
each of the given points.
dy
= 0.2x 2 + y
dx
(a) y (0) = 21
(b) y (2) = −1

def f(x,y): return 0.2*x**2 + y

dirfield(f,[-2,5,-3,3],mx=12,my=12)

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 two topics in §2.1

• there are two topics in §2.1:

◦ direction fields for 1st-order DEs
◦ autonomous 1st-order DEs
• equally-important topics!
• both topics are about picturing DEs, but “autonomous” is a
special case where we can draw a simpler picture

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 autonomous first-order DEs
• definition. a first-order differential equation is autonomous if
the function does not depend on the independent variable:
dy
= f (y )
dx
◦ “autonomous” means “independent of control”
◦ . . . above DE is not directly controlled by input variable x
◦ . . . but the solution y (x) is still a function of x
◦ a big idea: fundamental laws of nature are autonomous DEs
• Example.
dy p
= sin(y ) is autonomous
dx
• Example.
dy
=x −y is not autonomous
dx

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 classification of first-order DEs
• we will see that “autonomous” also means “easier to
visualize,” but not always easy to solve
• using definitions from sections 1.1 and 2.1 we already have a
classification of first-order DEs:

autonomous nonautonomous
linear y0 = c y + d y 0 + P(x)y = g (x)
nonlinear y 0 = f (y ) y 0 = f (x, y )

◦ which can we already solve by guess-and-check?

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 picturing autonomous DEs

• the direction field of an autonomous DE has redundancies

• simplified picture: a one-dimensional phase portrait
◦ a.k.a. phase line
◦ easiest to explain by an example . . .

• Example. Use a com-

puter to draw the direc-
tion field for x ∈ [−3, 3]
and y ∈ [−π, π]. Then
draw the phase portrait.
dy
= cos(2y )
dx

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 critical points of autonomous DEs

• consider an autonomous first-order DE: dy dx = f (y )

• a value y = c is called a critical point if f (c) = 0
◦ a.k.a. equilibrium point or stationary point

• if y = c is a critical point then y (x) = c is a solution!

π
• Example. y = 4 is a critical point and a solution of

dy
= cos(2y )
dx

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 phase portrait example

• Example. By hand, sketch the

phase portrait of
dz
= z2 + z3
dt
and show all critical points.
Then sketch the graph of so-
lutions to the ODE IVP with
the following initial values.
(a) z(0) = 1
(b) z(0) = −1/2
(c) z(0) = −1
(c) z(0) = −2

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 classifying critical points

• in summary, to draw a phase portrait you

◦ solve f (y ) = 0 for the critical points
◦ between critical points you evaluate the sign of f (y ) and draw
an up or down arrow accordingly
• . . . and you see the idea behind the following classification
• a critical point y = c is
◦ attracting or asymptotically stable if

lim y (x) = c (∗)

x→∞

for all initial points (x0 , y0 ) where y0 is close to c,

◦ semi-stable if (∗) only happens for y0 one side of c, and
◦ repelling or asymptotically unstable otherwise

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 examples, cont.

• Example. Find and classify the

critical points of
dy
= cos(2y )
dx

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 examples, cont.

• Example. Find and classify the

critical points of
dz
= z2 + z3
dt

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 exercise 27 in §2.1

27. Find the critical points and

phase portrait. Classify each
critical point as asymptotically
stable, unstable, or semi-stable.
By hand, sketch typical solution
curves in the regions in the xy –
plane determined by the graphs of
the equilibrium solutions.
dy
= y ln(y + 2)
dx

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 exercise 40 in §2.1
40. The autonomous differential
equation
dv
m = mg − kv ,
dt
where k is a positive constant and g
is the acceleration due to gravity, is
a model for the velocity v of a body
of mass m that is falling under grav-
ity. The term −kv , which is air resis-
tance, implies that the velocity will
not increase without bound as t in-
creases. Use a phase portrait to find
the limiting, or terminal velocity of
the body.

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 looking ahead: next two sections 2.2, 2.3

• the first four sections of the textbook (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1) are
about the meaning of differential equations
◦ in my experience, such meaning is the important take-home
from a course in differential equations!
• but for the next few sections we will address how to find
formulas for solutions y (x)
• looking ahead to the next two sections:

autonomous nonautonomous
linear y0 =cy +d y0 + P(x)y = g (x)

nonlinear y 0 = f (y ) separable nonseparable

y 0 = g (x)h(y ) y 0 = f (x, y )

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 this is not a CS class

• you don’t have to know programming to do this class

◦ . . . but interacting with a computer is obligatory!
◦ so you must seek-out tools such as desmos or Wolfram alpha
which allow you to do particular computer jobs like generating
direction fields
◦ I will generally show a few lines of Matlab or Python when
there is a computer-suitable job and I’ll link to
programming-free tools

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 expectations

to learn this material, just watching this video is not enough; also
• watch “found online” videos at
bueler.github.io/math302/week2.html
• try-out direction-field plotters linked at the same place
• read section 2.1 in the textbook
◦ a large new vocabulary in this section, namely the language of
qualitative differential equations
◦ I did not cover “translation property” on page 43; read that!
• do the WebAssign exercises for section 2.1
◦ get more out of these by not using the internet to cheat!

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