Differential Equations

First order ODE.

dy
1. The solution of equation of the form = f ( x) .
dx
dy
A differential equation of the form = f ( x) is solved by direct integration, i.e.
dx
y = ∫ f ( x)dx .
dy
Example 1: Find the general solution of the ODE = 3 x 2 − sin 2 x .
dx
Solution: Integrating both sides of the equation gives y = ∫ ( 3 x 2 − sin 2 x )dx
1
i.e. y = x3 + cos 2 x + c .
2

dy
Example 2: Find the general solution of x = 2 − 4 x3 .
dx
2 
Solution: Rearranging and integrating both sides of the equation gives y = ∫  − 4 x 2 dx
x 
4 3
i.e. y = 2 ln x − x + c .
3

Example 3: Find the equation of the curve that passes by θ = 2 when t = 1 , with gradient
 dθ 
given by 2t  t −  = 5.
 dt 
 5
Solution: Rearranging and integrating both sides of the equation gives θ = ∫  t − dt
 2t 
2
t 5 3
i.e. θ = − ln t + c . when t = 1 , θ = 2 ⇒ c = .
2 2 2
2
Therefore θ = − ln t + or θ = ( t 2 − 5ln t + 3) .
t 5 3 1
2 2 2 2

Example 4: The angular velocity ω of flywheel of moment of inertia I is given

dω
I + N = 0 , where N is constant. Determine ω in terms of t given that ω = ω0 when t = 0 .
dt
N
Solution: Rearranging and integrating both sides of the equation gives ω = ∫ − dt
I
N
i.e. θ = − t + c . when t = 0 , ω = ω0 ⇒ c = ω0 .
I
N
Therefore θ = − t + ω0 .
I

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 Differential Equations

dy
2. The solution of equation of the form = f ( y) .
dx
dy dy
A differential equation of the form = f ( y ) is rearranged to give dx = and then the
dx f ( y)
dy
solution is obtained by direct integration i.e. x = ∫ .
f ( y)
dy
Example 1: Find the general solution of the ODE = 3+ 2y .
dx
dy
Solution: Rearranging and integrating both sides of the equation gives x = ∫
3+ 2y
1
i.e. x = ln(3 + 2 y ) + c .
2

Example 2: Determine the particular solution of ( y 2 − 1)

dy
= 3 y given that y = 1 when
dx
x=21
6
y 1 
Solution: Rearranging and integrating both sides of the equation gives ∫ ∫  3 − 3 y  dy
dx =

y2 1
i.e. x = − ln y + c , given that y = 1 when x = 2 1 ⇒ c = 2
6 3 6
2
y 1
Therefore x = − ln y + 2 .
6 3

Example 3: The variation of resistant, R Ohms, of an aluminium conductor with temperature

dR
θ
C is given by = α R , where α is the temperature coefficient of resistance of
dθ
aluminium. If R = R0 when θ = 0
C , solve the equation for R.

dR
Solution: Rearranging and integrating both sides of the equation gives ∫ dθ = ∫ α R
1 1
i.e. θ = ln R + c , given that R = R0 when θ = 0
c ⇒ c = − ln R0
α α
1 1 1 R R
Therefore θ = ln R − ln R0 = ln , or eαθ = ⇒ R = R0 eαθ .
α α α R0 R0

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 Differential Equations

dy
3. The solution of equation of the form = f ( x) g ( y ) .
dx
dy
A differential equation of the form = f ( x) g ( y ) , where f ( x) is a function of x only
dx
dy
f ( y ) and is a function of y only, may be rearranged as = f ( x)dx , and then the solution
g ( y)
dy
is obtained by direct integration, i.e. ∫
g ( y) ∫
= f ( x)dx .

When two variables are rearranged into two separable groups as shown above, each
containing only one variable, the variables are said to be separable.
dy dy
The differential equations of the form = f ( x) and = g ( y ) are special cases of
dx dx
‘separating the variables’.
dy 3x 3 − 1
Example 1: Solve = .
dx 3 − 2 y
Solution: Separating and integrating both sides of the equation gives
3x 4
∫ (3 − 2 y )dy = ∫ (3x − 1)dx i.e. 3 y − y = 4 − x + c .
3 2

dy
Example 2: Solve the equation 4 xy = y2 −1 .
dx
4y 1
Solution: Separating and integrating both sides of the equation gives ∫ 2 dy = ∫ dx
y −1 x
i.e. 2 ln( y − 1) = ln x + c or if c = ln A (A constant)
2

Therefore 2 ln( y 2 − 1) = ln Ax , or ( y 2 − 1)2 = Ax .

dθ
Example 3: Determine the particular solution of = 2e3t − 2θ given that t = 0 when θ = 0 .
dt
dθ
Solution: Separating and integrating both sides of the equation gives = 2e3t e−2θ ,
dt
1 2θ 2 3t
∫ e dθ = ∫ 2e dt i.e. 2 e = 3 e + c with t = 0 when θ = 0 .
2θ 3t

1 1 2 1
Gives c = − , Therefore e2θ = e3t − , or 3e 2θ = 4e3t − 1 .
6 2 3 6

Example 4: The current i in an electric circuit containing resistance R and inductance L in

di
series with a constant voltage source E is given by the differential equation E − L = Ri .
dt
Solve the equation and find i in terms of time t given that when t = 0 , i = 0 .
di dt
Solution: Separating and integrating both sides of the equation gives ∫ =∫ ,
E − Ri L
−1 t 1
ln( E − Ri ) = + c when t = 0 , i = 0 ,gives c = − ln E , Therefore
R L R
−1 t 1 −1 t
ln( E − Ri ) = − ln E , or ( ln E − ln( E − Ri) ) = .
R L R R L
E Rt
E −
Rt

= e L or i =  1 − e L  .
E − Ri R 

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 Differential Equations

4. Linear first order differential equations.

dy
An equation of the form + P ( x) y = Q ( x) , where P and Q are function of x only is called
dx
linear differential equation.
To solve this type of equation we find
the integrating factor e ∫
P ( x ) dx
i) (IF).
multiply the ODE by the IF this becomes e ∫ + e∫ P ( x ) y = Q ( x )e ∫
P ( x ) dx dy P ( x ) dx P ( x ) dx
ii)
dx
using the product rule of differentiation the left hand side can be rewritten so we have
d  ∫ P ( x ) dx  ∫ P ( x ) dx .
 ye  = Q ( x )e
dx  
integrate both sides of the equation, we get y e ∫ = Q ( x)e ∫
P ( x ) dx P ( x ) dx
iii) ∫ dx .
iv) divide the resulting equation by integrating factor (IF) gives
Q ( x )e ∫
P ( x ) dx

y=
∫ dx
.
e∫
P ( x ) dx

1 dy
Example 1: Solve + 4 y = 2 given the boundary conditions x = 0 when y = 4 .
x dx
Solution:
dy
i) Rearranging the equation gives + 4 xy = 2 x i.e. P( x) = 4 x and Q( x) = 2 x .
dx
∫ P( x)dx = ∫ 4 xdx = 2 x (no constant of integration is required here)
2
ii)
IF = e2 x
2
iii)
dy 2 x2
+ e 4 xy = 2 xe 2 x
2 2
iv) multiply the ODE by the IF gives e2 x
dx
or
d
dx
( 2

)
ye 2 x = 2 xe2 x
2

∫ dx ( ye )dx = ∫ 2 xe
d 2 x2 2 x2
v) integrate both sides gives dx
1 2 7
ye 2 x = e 2 x + c when x = 0 , y = 4 gives c = .
2

2 2
2 1 2 7
2 2
1
Therefore ye 2 x = e2 x + or y = 1 + 7e−2 x .
2
2

( )
dy 1
Example 2: Find the general solution of the equation = y+x.
dx x
Solution:
dy 1 1
i) Rearranging the equation gives − y = x i.e. P( x) = − and Q( x) = x .
dx x x
1
ii) ∫ P( x)dx = ∫ − x dx = − ln x (no constant of integration is required here)
1
iii) IF =
x
1 dy 1 d 1 
iv) multiply the ODE by the IF gives − 2 y = 1 or  y =1
x dx x dx  x 

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 Differential Equations

1 1
v) integrate both sides gives y = ∫ 1dx , y = x + c Therefore y = x 2 + cx .
x x
dy
Example 3: Find the solution of the equation sin x + y cos x = 1 , which satisfies the
dx
π 
condition y   = π .
2
Solution:
dy
i) Rearranging the equation gives + y cot x = cosec x i.e. P( x) = cot x and
dx
Q( x) = cosec x .
ii) ∫ P( x)dx = ∫ cot xdx = ln ( sin x ) (no constant of integration is required here)
iii) IF = sin x
dy d
iv) multiply the ODE by the IF gives sin x + y cos x = 1 or ( y sin x ) = 1
dx dx
v) integrate both sides gives y sin x = ∫ 1dx
y sin x = x + c or y = ( x + c)cosec x .
π  π  π
Using the condition y   = π then c = , and y =  x +  cosec x .
2 2  2

Example 4: A body of mass m falls in a medium where the resistance to motion is

dv
proportional to the speed of the body. The equation of motion is m = mg − kv , where v is
dt
the velocity of the body and k is a constant. Find the velocity v(t) if the body is released from
rest.
Solution:
dv k k
i) Rearranging the equation gives + v = g i.e. P(t ) = and Q(t ) = g .
dt m m
k k
ii) ∫ P(t )dt = ∫ m dt = m t (no constant of integration is required here)
kt
iii) IF = e m
kt
dv k kt kt
iv) multiply the ODE by the IF gives e m + v e m = ge m
dt m
d  ktm  kt

 ve  = ge
m
or
dt  
kt kt
v) integrate both sides gives ve m = ∫ ge m dt
kt
mg ktm mg −
kt
ve m = e + c or v = + ce m .
k k
mg mg  − 
kt
Using the condition v ( 0 ) = 0 then c = − , and v = 1 − e  .
m
k k  

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