Equations with Homogeneous Coefficients

Polynomials in which all the terms are of the same degree, such as
x2 + 2xy + y 2 x3 + y 3 x4 y + 8y 5
are called homogeneous polynomials.
Let us extend the concept of homogeneity and define what a homogeneous function is.

Definition
The function f (x, y) is said to be homogeneous of degree k in x and y if, and only if,
f (λx, λy) = λk f (x, y)

Theorem 1. If M (x, y) and N (x, y) are both homogeneous and of the same degree, then the
M (x, y)
function is homogeneous of degree zero.
N (x, y)

Theorem 2. If f (x, y) is homogeneous of degree zero in x and y, then f (x, y) is a function

y
of alone.
x

Example 1.
Determine if the function f (x, y) is homogeneous and if it is, state the degree of the function.
y x4
f (x, y) = 2y 3 e x −
x + 3y
Solution:
Original function
y x4
f (x, y) = 2y 3 e x −
x + 3y
f (λx, λy),
(λx)4 x4
 
λy y
3 3 3 x
f (λx, λy) = 2(λy) e λx − = λ · 2y e −
λx + 3λy x + 3y
Now,
f (λx, λy) = λ3 f (x, y)
Therefore, f (x, y) is homogeneous of degree 3.
Equations with Homogeneous Coefficients

Suppose the coefficients M and N in the differential equation of the first order

M (x, y) + N (x, y) = 0

are both homogeneous and are of same degree in x and y. We can put the equation in the
form
dy M (x, y)
+ = 0.
dx N (x, y)
By Theorems (1) and (2), we can put it in the form

dy y
+f =0
dx x
From this we may introduce a new variable v such that y = vx. Then the equation
becomes
dv
x + v + f (v) = 0
dx
in which the variable are now separable.

The method would have been equally successful if we used x = vy to obtain an equation
in y and v. However, it is sometimes easier to substitute for the variable whose differential
has the simpler coefficients.
Example 2.
Solve the equation
2(2x2 + y 2 )dx − xydy = 0
Solution:
From M dx + N dy = 0, both M and N are homogeneous functions of degree 2, let us put
y = vx
dy = vdx + xdv
Substitute to the original equation,
2(2x2 + v 2 x2 )dx − x2 v(vdx + xdv) = 0
(4x2 + 2v 2 x2 − v 2 x2 )dx − vx3 dv = 0
(4x2 + v 2 x2 )dx − vx3 dv = 0
x2 (4 + v 2 )dx − vx3 dv = 0
By separation of variables, divide the equation by (4 + v 2 )x3 ,

dx vdv
− =0
Z x Z 4 + v2
dx vdv
− =c
x 4 + v2
1
ln |x| − ln (4 + v 2 ) = ln |c|
2
2 ln |x| − ln (v 2 + 4) = ln |c|
x2
ln 2 = ln |c|
v +4
x2
ln
e 4+v 2 = eln |c|
x2
=c
4 + v2
x2 = c(4 + v 2 )
y
Since v = ,
x
  2 
2 y
x =c 4+
x
  2 
y
x2 =c 4+
x2
 2
4x + y 2

x2 =c
x2
x4 = c(4x2 + y 2 )
Example 3.

Solve the equation

xydx − (x2 + 3y 2 )dy = 0
Solution:
Since both coefficients M and N are homogeneous and of degree 2, let,

x = vy
dx = vdy + ydv

vy 2 (vdy + ydx) − (v 2 y 2 + 3y 2 )dy = 0

(v 2 y 2 − v 2 y 2 − 3y 2 )dy + vy 3 dv = 0
−3y 2 dy + vy 3 dv = 0

Using separation of variables, divide the equation by y 3 ,

dy
−3 + vdv =0
y
Z Z
dy
−3 + vdv =c
y
1
−3 ln |y| + v 2 = ln |c|
2
6 ln |y| − v 2 = −2 ln |c|
6 ln |y| − v 2 = ln |c|

x
Since v = , then
y
2
x2
6 ln |y| − = ln |c|
y2
6y 2 ln |y| − x2 = y 2 ln |c|
6y 2 ln |y| − y 2 ln |c| = x2
y 2 (ln (y 6 ) − ln |c|) = x2
y6
x2 = y 2 ln
c
x = y ln |cy 6 |
2 2
Example 4.

Solve the equation    

y
x csc − y dx + xdy = 0
x
Solution:
Since M and N are both homogeneous functions of degree 1, we let
y
y = vx; v=
x
dy = vdx + xdv

(x csc v − vx)dx + x(vdx + xdv) = 0

(x csc v + vx − vx)dx + x2 dv = 0
x csc v dx + x2 dv = 0

By separation of variables, divide x2 csc v

dx dv
+ =0
x csc v
dx
+ sin vdv = 0
Z xZ
dx
+ sin vdv = c
x
ln |x| − cos v = ln |c|
ln |x| − ln |c| = cos v
x
cos v = ln
c

y
Since v = , then
x
x
cos v = ln
c
 
y x
cos = ln
x c
 
y
cos = ln |cx|
x
Example 5.

Solve the equation

(x − y ln |y| + y ln |x|)dx + x(ln |y| − ln |x|)dy = 0

Solution:
Since M and N are homogeneous function of degree 1, then let

y = vx
dy = vdx + xdv

(x − vx ln |vx| + vx ln |x|)dx + x(ln |vx| − ln |x|)(vdx + xdv) = 0

xdx + x2 (ln |vx| − ln |x|)dx + x(ln |vx| − ln |x|)(vdx + dv) = 0
xdx + x2 ln |v|dv = 0

By separation of variables, divide the equation by x2

xdx + x2 ln |v|dv = 0
dx
+ ln |v| = 0
Z xZ
dx
+ ln |v| = 0
x
ln |x| + v ln |v| − v = ln |c|
y
Since v = , then
x
ln |x| + v ln |v| − v = ln |c|
y y y
ln |x| + ln − = ln |c|
x x x
y
x ln |x| + y ln − y = cx
x
x ln |x| + y ln |y| − y ln |x| − y = cx
(x − y) ln |x| + y ln |y| = cx + y
Example 6.
Solve the equation
y 2 dy = x(xdy − ydx)ex/y
Solution:
Express the given equation as
y 2 dy = x(xdy − ydx)ex/y
(y 2 − x2 ex/y )dy = −xyex/y dx
Since both coefficients are homogeneous and of degree 2, let
x
x = vy; v=
y
dx = vdy + ydv

(y 2 − v 2 y 2 ev )dy = −vy 2 ev [vdy + ydv]

(y 2 − v 2 ev + v 2 y 2 ev )dy = vy 3 ev dv
y 2 dy = vy 3 ev dv
By separation of variables, divide the equation by y 3 ,
dy
= vdv
y
Z Z
dy
= vev dv
y
Z
ln |y| = ve − ev dv + ln |c|
v

ln |y| = vev − ev + ln |c|

ln |y| − ln |c| = ev (v − 1)

x
Since v = , then
y
ln |y| − ln |c| = ev (v − 1)
 
y x/y x
ln =e −1
c y
 
y x/y x − y
ln =e
c y
y
y ln = (x − y)ex/y
c
y ln |cy| = (x − y)ex/y
Example 7.
Solve the equation  
2y
xdx + sin (ydx − xdy) = 0
x
Solution:
Rewrite the given equation as
    
2 y 2 y
x + y sin dx − x sin dy = 0
x x
Let
y
y = vx; v=
x
dy = vdx + xdv
 
x + vx sin v dx − x sin2 v(vdx + xdv) = 0
2

[x + vx sin2 v − vx sin2 vdx] − x2 sin2 vdv = 0

xdx − x2 sin2 vdv = 0

By separation of variables, divide the equation x2

xdx − x2 sin2 vdv =0
dx
− sin vdv =0
Z x Z
dx
− sin vdv =0
x
Z Z  
dx 1 1
− − cos 2v dv =c
x 2 2
1 1
ln |x| − v + sin 2v = − ln |c|
2 4
y
Since v = , then
x
    
1 y 1 y
ln |x| − + sin 2 = − ln |c|
2 x 4 x
  
y
4x ln |x| − 2y + x sin 2 = 4x ln |c|
x
  
y
4x ln |x| + 4x ln |c| − 2y + x sin 2 =0
x
  
y
4x ln |cx| − 2y + x sin 2 =0
x
Example 8.
Solve the equation
(x − y)(4x + y)dx + x(x(5x − y))dy = 0
Solution:
Rewrite the given equation as,
(4x2 − 4xy + xy − y 2 )dx + (5x2 − xy)dy = 0
(4x2 − 3xy − y 2 )dx + (5x2 − xy)dy = 0
Let
y
y = vx; v=
x
dy = vdx + xdv

(4x2 − 3xy − y 2 )dx + (5x2 − xy)dy = 0

(4x2 − 3x2 v − v 2 x2 )dx + (5x2 − x2 v)(vdx + xdv) = 0
(4x2 + 2x2 v − 2v 2 x2 )dx + x3 (5 − v)dv = 0
x2 (4 − 2v − 2v 2 )dx + x3 (5 − v)dv = 0

By separation of variables, divide the equation by x3 (4 + 2v − 2v 2 )

x2 (4 − 2v − 2v 2 )dx + x3 (5 − v)dv = 0
dx 5−v
+ 2
dv = 0
x 4 + 2v − 2v
(5 − v)dv
Z Z
dx
+ =c
x 4 + 2v − 2v 2
   
−2
Z Z
dx 1 1
+ + dv = c
x 2 v+1 v−2
1
ln |x| + (−2 ln |v + 1| + ln |v − 2|) = ln |c|
2
2 ln |x| + 2 ln |v + 1| − ln |v − 2| = ln |c|
x2 (v + 1)2
ln = ln |c|
v−2
x2 (v + 1)2
=c
v−2
x2 (v + 1)2 = c(v − 2)
y
Since v = , then
x
y 2 y 
x2 +1 =c −2
x x
2
x(y + x) = c(y − 2x)
Example 9.

Solve the equation

    
y y
x − y arctan dx + x arctan dy = 0
x x

Solution:
Let
y
y = vx; v=
x
dy = vdx + xdv

(x − vx arctan v)dx + x arctan v(vdx + xdv) = 0

(x − vx arctan v + vx arctan v)dx + x2 arctan vdv = 0
x dx + x2 arctan vdv = 0

By separation of variables, divide the equation by x2 ,

dx
+ arctan v dv = 0
Z xZ
dx
+ arctan v dv = c
x
1
ln |x| + v arctan v − ln |v 2 + 1| = ln |c|
2
y
Since v = , then
x
y2
 
y y 1
ln |x| + arctan − ln 2 + 1 = ln |c|
x x 2 x
y 2 + x2
 
y
2x ln |x| + 2y arctan − x ln = ln |c|
x x2
y 2 + x2
 
y
2y arctan = x ln + ln |c| − 2x ln |x|
x x2
 
y
2y arctan = x ln |y 2 + x2 | − 2x ln |x2 | + ln |c|
x
(y 2 + x2 )c2
 
y
2y arctan = x ln
x x4
Example 10.
Solve the equation
t(s2 + t2 )ds − s(s2 − t2 )dt = 0
Solution:
Let
s
s = vt; v=
t
ds = vdt + tdv

t(v 2 t2 + t2 )(vdt + tdv) − vt(v 2 t2 − t2 )dt = 0

[(v 3 t3 + vt3 ) − (v 3 t3 − vt3 )]dt + t2 (v 2 t2 + t2 )dv = 0
2vt3 dt + t4 (v 2 + 1)dv = 0

Divide the equation by vt4 to separate the variables.

2vt3 dt + t4 (v 2 + 1)dv = 0
dt v 2 + 1
2 + dv = 0
t v
dt dv
2 + vdv + =0
t v
1
2 ln |t| + v 2 + ln |v| = ln |c|
2
s
Since v = , then
t
 2
1 s s
2 ln |t| + + ln = ln |c|
2 t t
1 s2
 
2 ln |t| + + ln |s| − ln |t| = ln |c|
2 t2
s2
ln |s| + ln |t| − ln |c| + 2 = 0
2t
st s2
ln + 2 =0
c 2t
st
2t2 ln + s2 = 0
c
st
s2 = −2t2 ln
c
2 2
s = −2t ln |cst|