B.M.S.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Dept. of Math., BMSCE Unit 3: Ordinary Differential Equations of First Order

For the Course Code: 23MA1BSCEM, 23MA1BSMCS

Differential equations:
Any equation which involves derivatives, dependent variables and independent variables is
called a differential equation.

Classification

Ordinary differential equations Linear differential equations

Nonlinear differential equations
Partial differential equations Linear, semi linear, quasi linear …

Solution of a differential equation: A relation between x and y which satisfies the given
differential equation.
General Solution: A solution which contains arbitrary constants.
Solution of first order ODE: Geometrically, the solution of a first order ODE represents a family
of curves.
Linear Ordinary differential equations of 1st order
dy
An equation of the form + P ( x ) y = Q ( x ) is called a linear first order differential equation.
dx

The solution is given by y ( IF ) =  ( IF ) Q + c where IF = e 

Pdx
and c is the constant of
integration.
I. BERNOULLI’S EQUATION

dy
The equation of the form + P ( x ) y = Q ( x ) y n is called the Bernoulli’s equation. It can be
dx
dy
reduced to a linear differential equation by dividing throughout by y n , to get y − n + Py1− n = Q
dx
1− n
and substituting y = z .

EXAMPLES:
Solve the following differential equations:
dy
1 x + y = x3 y 6 .
dx
y x
2 y + = , y (1) = 2.
2 x y3
3 ( y log x − 2) ydx − xdy = 0.
Page 1 of 8
Dept. of Maths., BMSCE Unit - 4: ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS OF FIRST ORDER

4 (x y3 2
+ xy ) dx = dy.
5 cos xdy = y(sin x − y)dx.
dr
6 r sin  − cos  = r 2.
d
7 y 2 y − y3 tan x − sin x cos2 x = 0.
dy x 2 + y 2 + 1
8 = .
dx 2 xy
9 3 y + xy = xy −2 .
dy y
10 = .
dx x + xy
dz z z 2
11 + log z = ( log z ) .
dx x x

II. EXACT DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

A differential equation of the form M ( x, y ) dx + N ( x, y ) dy = 0 is said to be exact if

M ( x, y ) dx + N ( x, y ) dy is the exact differential of some function u ( x, y ) i.e. du = Mdx + Ndy.
Its solution, therefore is u ( x, y ) = c .
The necessary and sufficient condition for the differential equation Mdx + Ndy = 0 to be exact is
M N
= , and its solution is given by  Mdx +  ( terms of N without x ) dy = c .
y x (y constant )

EXAMPLES:

Solve the following differential equations:

1 ( x4 − 2xy2 + y4 ) dx − (2x2 y − 4xy3 + sin y ) dy = 0 .

  1 
2  y 1 + x  + cos y  dx + ( x + log x − x sin y ) dy = 0 .
   
3 ( ) ( )
2 xy + y − tan y dx + x2 − x tan 2 y + sec2 y dy = 0 .

2x y 2 − 3x2
4 dx + dy = 0 .
y3 y4

y − 2x
5 y = , y(1)=2.
2y − x

Page 2 of 8
 Dept. of Maths., BMSCE Unit - 4: ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS OF FIRST ORDER

 2 xy2 3  dx +  2 xye xy2 − 3 y 2  dy = 0 .

6  y e + 4 x   
   
7 ( sec x tan x tan y − e x ) dx + sec x sec2 ydy = 0 .
8 ( y sin 2 x ) dx − (1 + y2 + cos2 x ) dy = 0 .
9 ( cos x − x cos y ) dy − (sin y + y sin x ) dx = 0 .
 y   x 
10  -1 dx + 1-  dy =0 .
 ( x+ y )2   ( x + y )2 
   
11 sin x cosh ydx − cos x sinh ydy = 0 , y ( 0 ) = 3 .

III. DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS REDUCIBLE TO THE EXACT FORM

 M N 
 y − x 
Type 1: In the differential equation Mdx + Ndy = 0 , if   a function of x say f x ,
( )
N
 f ( x )dx
then IF = e .
EXAMPLES:
Solve the following differential equations by reducing it to exact differential equations

1 ( xy − e ) dx − x ydy = 0.
2 1 x3 2

2 y ( x + y ) dx + ( x + 2 y −1) dy = 0.

3 (2 y + 3x)dx + 2xydy = 0 .
2

4 (x + y − 5)dx = ( y + xy)dy,
2 2
y(0) = 1 .

 M N 
 y − x 
Type 2: In the differential equation Mdx + Ndy = 0 , if   a function of y say F y ,
( )
−M
F ( y )dy
then IF = e  .

EXAMPLES:
Solve the following differential equations by reducing it to exact differential equations

1 (3x2 y4 + 2xy ) dx + ( 2x3 y3 − x2 ) dy = 0.

Page 3 of 8
Dept. of Maths., BMSCE Unit - 4: ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS OF FIRST ORDER

2 ( xy3 + y ) dx + 2 ( x2 y2 + x + y4 ) dy = 0.
3 3 ( x2 + y 2 ) dx + x ( x2 + 3 y 2 + 6 y ) dy = 0.

4 6 xydx + (4 y + 9 x 2 )dy = 0.
5 ( )
xdx + x2 y + 4 y dy = 0, y ( 4 ) = 0.

APPLICATIONS

MIXING PROBLEM
EXAMPLES:

1 A tank is initially filled with 100 gallons of salt solution containing 1 lb of salt per gallon. Fresh brine
containing 2 lb per gallon of salt runs into the tank at the rate of 5 gallons per minute and the mixture,
assumed to be kept uniform by stirring, runs out at the same rate. Find the amount of salt at any time,
and determine how long will it take for this amount to reach 150 lb.
2 Suppose a large mixing tank initially holds 300 gallons of brine. Another brine solution is pumped
into the tank at a rate of 3gallons per minute; the concentration of the salt in this inflow is 2 lb/gal of
salt. When the solution is stirred well, it is pumped out at the same rate. If there were 50 lb of salt
dissolved initially in the 300 gallons, how much salt is there in the long time?
3 A tank contains 200 litres of fluid in which 30 grams of salt is dissolved. Brine containing 1 gram of
salt per litre is then pumped into the tank at a rate of 4 L/min.; the well mixed solution is pumped out
at the same rate. Find the amount of salt in the tank at time t.
4 A tank contains 1000 gallons of brine in which 500 lb of salt are dissolved. Fresh water runs into the
tank at the rate of 10 gallons per minute and the mixture is kept uniform by stirring, runs out at the
same rate. How long will it be before only 50 lb of salt is left in the tank?

ORTHOGONAL TRAJECTORIES
In Cartesian Co-ordinates:

EXAMPLES:

Find the orthogonal trajectories of the family of:

a) y = c ( sec x + tan x ) .
b) y 2 = 4ax.
c) x2 − y 2 = cx .
d) ay 2 = x3 .
e) Find the orthogonal trajectory of the family of confocal conics
Page 4 of 8
Dept. of Maths., BMSCE Unit - 4: ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS OF FIRST ORDER

x2 y2
+ = 1, being the parameter.
a 2 b2 + 
f) Show that the family of curves are self-orthogonal:
x2 y2
a) Confocal conics, + = 1, being the parameter.
a 2 +  b2 + 

b) y 2 = 4a ( x + a ) .

c) y 2 = 2cx + c 2 .

In Polar coordinates:
EXAMPLES:
Find the orthogonal trajectories (O.T.) of each of the following family of curves:
2a
a) r =
(1 + cos  )
b) r = a cos 2
2 2

c) r = 4a sec  tan 

(
d) r = a 1 + sin 2  )
e) r = a sin  tan 
f) r = a ( sec + tan  )

g) r cos n = a
n n

Page 5 of 8