9 DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

i
rth
KEY CONCEPT INVOLVED
1. Differential Equation – An equation containing an independent variable dependent variable and differential
coefficient of dependent variable with respect to independent variable is called a differential equation.
dy d2 y dy
e.g. + 2xy = x3 and 2  5 + 6y = x2
dx dx dx
2. Order of a differential Equation – The order of a differential equation is the order of the highest order
derivative appearing in the equation.
3. Degree of a differential Equation – The degree of a differential equation is the degree of the highest order
derivative when differential coefficients are made free from radicals and fractions.
4. Solution of a differential Equation – The solution of a differential equation is a relation between the

5.
ya
variables involved, not involving the differential coefficients, such that this relation and derivatives
obtained form it satisfy the given differential equation.
General Solution – The solution which contains as many as orbirary constants as the order of the
differential equation is called the general solution of the differential equation.
6. Particular Solution – Solution obtained by giving particular values to the arbitrary constants in the
general solution of a differential equation is called a particular solution.
7. Equations in variable separable form – If the differential equation can be reduced to the form f (x) dx = g
(y) dy we say that the variables have been separated on integrating both sides of this reduced form, we
get the general solution of the differential equation.
 f (x) dx =  g (y) dy + c
dy
8. Equations Reducible to variable separable form – Differential equations of the form = f (ax + by + c)
id
dx
can be reduced to variable separable form by the substitution ax + by + c = v
9. Homogeneous Differential Equation – A function f(x,y) is called a homogeneous function of degree n if
F (x, y) = n F (x, y) for any non zero constant .
dy
A differential equation of the form = F (x, y) is said to be homogeneous if F (x, y) is a homogeneous
dx
function of degree zero. To solve such ... a homogenous differential equation of the type
dy y
= F (x) = g   ...(i)
eV

dx x
dy dv dv
(i) Put y = vx and vx in equation (i), we get reduces to the form v + x = g (v)
dx dx dx
dy
 x× = g (v) – v
dx
Now, on separating the variables, we get
dv dx

g (x)  v x
Integrate both sides to obtain the solution in terms of v and x.
y
Replace v by in the solution obtained to obtain the solution in terms of x and y..
x

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 dy
If the homogeneous differential equation is in the form = F (x, y), where F (x, y) is homogeneous
dx
x
function of degree, then we make substitution y = v i.e., x = vy and the proceed further to find the general

i
dx x
solution as discussed above by writting dy = F (x, y) = h  y 

rth
 
10. Linear differential Equations – A differential equation is known as first order linear differential equation, if
dy
the dependent variable y and its derivative are related as + Py = Q, where P and Q are constant or
dx
functions of x.
Steps involved to solve first order linear differential equation:
dy
(i) Write the given differential equation in the form + Py = Q and obtain P and Q.
dx
(ii) Find integrating factor, I.F. = e  pdx
(iii) Multiply both sides of equation in (i) by I.F.
(iv) Integrate both sides of the equation obtained in (iii) w.r.t. x to obtain
y (I.F.) =  Q.(I.F.) dx + C
ya
This gives the required solution.
dx
In case, the first order linear differential equation is in the form + P1 x = Q1, where , P1 and Q1 are
dy
constants or functions of y only. Then I.F. = e  P1dy and the solution of the differential equation is given by
x . (I. F) = (Q1  I.F.) dy + C

CONNECTING CONCEPTS
1. Formation of Differential Equations – Formation of a differential from a given equation representing a
family of curves means finding a differential equation whose solution is the given equation. If an equation
id
representing a family of curves, contains n arbitrary constants, then we differentiable the given equation
n times to obtain n more equations. Using all these equations, we eliminate the constants. The equation
so obtained is the differential equation of order n for the family of given curves.
dy
2. Methods of solving a differential equation of the type = f (x) – To solve this type of differential
dx
equations, first we write the differential equation as dy = f (x) dx
Then integrate boht sides with respect t x to obtain the solution
dy = f (x) dx + C
eV

or y = f (x) dx + C
dy
3. Differential Equations of the type = f (y) – To solve this type of differential equations, first we write
dx
1
in the form of dx = dy them integrate both sides to obtain the general solution
f (y)
1 1
 
 dx = f (y) dy + c or x = f (y) dy + c
2
d y
4. Differential Equations of the type = f (x)
dx 2
(i) Integrate both sides of the differential equation in (i) with respect to x to obtain a first order first degree
differential equation.
(ii) Integrate both sides of the first order differential equation obtained in (ii) with respect to x.

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