INTEGRATING FACTOR

Integrating Factor by Inspection

Recalling the concept of exact differential equation which has bearing to these
topics. These topics are concerned with the equation that are simple enough to enable us
to find integrating factors by inspection. The ability to do this depends largely upon
recognition of certain common exact differential.

Recalling :
d (xy) = xdy + ydy Derivative of the products
d ()
x
y
=
y dx−x dy
y
2 Derivative of the quotient

d ()
y
x
=
x dy− ydx
x2

( )
y x dy− ydx
d arc tan = 2 2
x x +y

Example.
Solve the equation y dx + ( x + x3 y2) dy =0

Solution
Grouping the terms with the same degree.
ydx + xdy + x3 y2dy = 0
(ydx + x dy ) + x3 y2dy = 0 by d (xy) = xdy + ydy
d(xy) + x3 y2dy = 0
x y dy must be pure function of y and d(xy) is function of the product of
3 2

xy should have a coefficient of xy as to find the integrating factor

1
we must multiple the DE by
( xy )3

d ( xy) x 3 y 2 dy
+ =0
( xy )3 ( xy )3
d dy
3 + =0
( xy ) y
This equation is already integrable. Take the integral of each term
d ( xy )
∫ ( )3 + ∫ dyy = ∫ 0
xy

( xy )−3+1
+ ln y = ln c
−2

1
_- 2 2 + l n y = ln c
2x y

1
- ln y = ln c
2 x2 y2
 1
2 2 = ln cy
2x y
2 2
1=2 x y ln cy
2 2
2 x y ln cy=1

Example :
Solve the DE y ( x3 - y ) dx - x ( x3 + y) dy = 0

Grouping the term of the same degree.

` x 3 y dx - y 2 dx−x 4 dy−xy dy=0

¿ ¿dx- y 2 dx−x 4 dy ¿−( y 2 dx + xy dy )=0

x ¿ dx−xdy ¿− y ( y dx + xdy )=0 y dx−xdy ¿ is d

3
( xy ) = y dx−x
2
y
dy

Divide the equation by y2

3
x ( y dx−xdy ) y ( y dx+ xdy )
2
− 2
=0
y y

x3 d ( xy )− d ( yxy ) =0
To determine the integrating factor d ( xy ) should have coefficient of xy
and d ( xy ) should have a coefficient of xy so the integrating factor x-2 y-1
that lead to equation that is integrable.

(x-2 y-1¿ ¿
x
d
y y ( )
x
- ( xy )−2 d (xy) = 0

Take the integral of each term

()
∫ xy d xy - ∫ ( xy )−2 d (xy ) = ∫ 0 Use the integration formula for
power function
 ( )
1+1
x
( xy )−2+1
y - =C
−1
2

()
x 2 ( )−1
y
+ xy = 2c
Solving simultaneously by clearing the fraction this will give us
x2 + 2y = cxy2

Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Pablo Borbon Main I, Batangas City, Philippines 4200
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Tel. No. (043) 980-0385 local 1128

Activity
MATH 506– Differential Equation
Second Semester, AY 2019 – 2020

Name:__________________________________________Score: ___________
Section: _________________________________________Date: ___________

General Directions:
1. Erasures should be avoided.
2. Use black or blue pen in answering this activity. Pencil is not allowed.
3. Maintain a margin of 1inch around with 1.5” left margin
4. One problem per page

Integrating Factor By Inspection

Find the set of solutions
1. y ( 2xy + 1) dx – x dy = 0
2. y ( y3 – x ) dx + x ( y3 + x ) dy = 0
3. ( x3 y3 + 1 ) dx + x4 y2 dy = 0
4. y( x3 – y5 ) dx – x ( x3 + y5 ) dy = 0
5. ( x3 + xy2 - y ) dx + ( y3 + x2 y + x) dy = 0
Prepared by:

Charity Arellano Aldover Ph.D MATHED

Integrating Factor by Formula

If DE M dx + N dy = 0 is not exact need to look for the integrating factor. Just

the same as the previous instead of by inspection another way to look for the integrating
factor is by formula

Mdx+ N dy = 0

Suppose that u , possibly a function of both x and y , is to be integrating factor

then
u Mdx +u N dy = 0
∂(uM ) ∂(uN )
This equation must be exact so =
∂y ∂x
Hence u must satisfy the partial DE

ðM ∂u ∂N ∂u
u +M =u +N
∂y ∂y ∂x ∂x
can equivalently written as
u (
ðM ∂ N
−
∂ y ∂x )
=N
∂u
∂x
−M
∂u
∂y

∂u
If we let u be a function of x alone then =0 with this will able to obtain
∂y
u ( ðM −
∂y ∂x
∂N
)=N
∂u
∂x
which is also written as

(
1 ðM ∂ N
N ∂ y ∂x
− )
dx=
∂u
∂x
If the left member is a function of x alone then we can determine u at once . Indeed if
 (
1 ðM ∂ N
N ∂ y ∂x
− )
dx=F (x)
Then the desired integrating factor is
(∫ F ( x )dx )
u=e

By a similar argument, assuming that u is a function of y alone we lead to

(
1 ðM ∂ N
M ∂y ∂x
− ) =G( y )
Then the Integrating factor is
− (∫ G ( y ) dy )
u= e

Example:
Solve the equation ( 4xy + 3y2 - x ) dx + x ( x + 2y ) = 0

Solution.
M= 4xy + 3y2 - x N= x2 + 2xy
∂M ∂N
=4 x +6 y =2 x +2 y
∂y ∂y
Then by using the formula

1 ðM ∂ N
− (=
2 x+ 4 y 2
=
N ∂ y ∂ x x( x +2 y ) y )
(
1 ðM ∂ N
M ∂y ∂x
− = )
2 x+ 4 y
4 xy +3 y 2−x
this result is not pure function of
y upon simplifying so the previous is the accurate formula to use
for the determining the integrating factor.

Therefore the integrating factor is

u or I=e(∫ x dx )
2

= e 2 lnx
2
= e ln x
= x2
Returning to the original equation
( 4xy + 3y2 - x ) dx + x ( x + 2y )dy= 0
Multiply the DE by the Integrating factor
 x2(4xy + 3y2 - x ) dx + x ( x + 2y )dy= 0

4x3y dx + 3x2 y2 dx – x3 dx +x4 dy + 2x3 y dy = 0

Grouping the terms of the same degree

( 4x3 y dx+ x4 dy ) + ( 3x2 y2 dx + 2x3 y dy) - x3 dx = 0
( 4x3 y dx+ x4 dy ) is the same as d(x4 y) and
3x2 y2 dx + 2x3 y dy) is the same as d (x3 y2 )
x3 dx is a pure function of x
So this will give as (substituting)
d(x4 y) + d (x3 y2) - x3 dx = 0

Then Integrating each term that is

∫ d( x 4 y ) + ∫ d( x2 y 2) - ∫ x 3 dx = ∫ 0
This will give us
4
4 2 x 2
(x y) + x y - =c
4
1 1
(4x4 y) + 4 x2 y 2 – x4 = c ( c is just C)
4 4
x3 ( 4xy + 4y2 – x ) = C
Exercises
Republic of the Philippines
BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Pablo Borbon Main I, Batangas City, Philippines 4200
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Tel. No. (043) 980-0385 local 1128

Activity- Integrating Factor by Formula

MATH 506– Differential Equation
Second Semester, AY 2019 – 2020

Name:__________________________________________Score: ___________
Section: _________________________________________Date: ___________

General Directions:
1. Erasures should be avoided.
2. Use black or blue pen in answering this activity. Pencil is not allowed.
3. Maintain a margin of 1inch around with 1.5” left margin
4. One problem per page

Solve the following DE

1. ( x2 + y2 + 1 ) dx + x ( x – 2y ) dy = 0
2. 2y( x2 – y + x ) dx + ( x2 – 2y ) dy = 0
3. y( 8x – 9y ) dx + ( x – y ) dy = 0
4. ( xy + 1) dx + x ( x + 4y – 2 ) dy = 0
5. y ( 4x + y ) dx - 2 ( x2 + 4y – 2) dy

Prepared by:

Charity Arellano Aldover Ph.D MATHED