Differential Equations: Linear Differential Equations

Problem 1. Obtain the general solution of the differential: (x2 + a2) dy = 2x [(x2 + a2)2 +
3y] dx—when a is constant. | (Rainville & Bedient) pp. 41 no. 23 | Difficulty: HARD

Test for Exactness:

(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )𝑑𝑦 − 2𝑥[(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 ) + 3𝑦]𝑑𝑥 = 0
(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )𝑑𝑦 + [−2𝑥 3 − 2𝑎2 𝑥 − 6𝑥𝑦]𝑑𝑥 = 0
𝜕𝑀 𝑑
= ([−2𝑥 3 − 2𝑎2 𝑥 − 6𝑥𝑦]) = −(6𝑥 2 + 2𝑎2 + 6𝑦)
𝜕𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝜕𝑁 𝜕 2
= (𝑥 + 𝑎2 ) = 0
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑀 𝜕𝑁
≠ ∴ 𝑁𝑜𝑛 − 𝐸𝐷𝐸
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

General Form:
1
{(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )𝑑𝑦 = 2𝑥[(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )2 + 3𝑦]𝑑𝑥} ( )
(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑦 2𝑥(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )2 + 6𝑥𝑦
=
𝑑𝑥 (𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )
𝑑𝑦 2𝑥(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )2 6𝑥𝑦
= +
𝑑𝑥 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2
𝑑𝑦 6𝑥𝑦
− 2 = 2𝑥(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )
𝑑𝑥 𝑥 + 𝑎2

𝑑𝑦 6𝑥
+ (− 2 ) 𝑦 = (2𝑥 3 + 2𝑎2 𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 𝑥 + 𝑎2
6𝑥
𝑃(𝑥) = − ; 𝑄(𝑥) = (2𝑥 3 + 2𝑎2 𝑥)
𝑥2 + 𝑎2

Integrating Factor:
6𝑥
∫ 𝑃(𝑥) = ∫ − 𝑑𝑥
𝑥 2 + 𝑎2
 𝑑𝑥
= −6 ∫
𝑥2 + 𝑎2
𝑢 = 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2
= −3 ln(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 ) 𝑑𝑢 = 2𝑥 𝑑𝑥
2 +𝑎2 )−3
∅(𝑥) = 𝑒 ln(𝑥
1
=
(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )3

Integration:
1 1
𝑦 = ∫ (2𝑥 3 + 2𝑎2 𝑥)𝑑𝑥
(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )3 (𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )3
(2𝑥 3 + 2𝑎2 𝑥)
=∫ 𝑑𝑥
(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )3
2𝑥 𝑢 = 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2
=∫ 2 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑢 = 2𝑥 𝑑𝑥
(𝑥 + 𝑎2 )2
1
=− 2 +𝐶
(𝑥 + 𝑎2 )
𝑦 1
[ =− 2 + 𝐶] (𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )3
(𝑥 2 2
+𝑎 ) 3 (𝑥 + 𝑎2 )
𝑦 = −(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 ) + 𝐶(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )3

𝑦 = (𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 )2 [𝐶(𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 ) − 1]

Solution by: Joshua John Madelo

Problem 2. Obtain the general solution of the differential: cos(x) dy/dx + (sin(x)) y = 1 |
(Zill) pp. 61 no. 17 | Difficulty: EASY

Test for Exactness:

cos 𝑥 𝑑𝑦 + [(sin 𝑥)𝑦 − 1] = 0
𝜕𝑀 𝜕
= (cos 𝑥) = − sin 𝑥
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
𝜕𝑁 𝜕
= [(sin 𝑥)𝑦 − 1]
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦
𝜕 𝜕
=𝑦 sin 𝑥 + sin 𝑥 𝑦 = sin 𝑥
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦

𝜕𝑀 𝜕𝑁
≠ ∴ 𝑁𝑜𝑛 − 𝐸𝐷𝐸
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

General Form:
𝑑𝑦 1
[cos 𝑥 + 𝑦 sin 𝑥 = 1] ( )
𝑑𝑥 cos 𝑥
𝑑𝑦 sin 𝑥 1
+( )𝑦 =
𝑑𝑥 cos 𝑥 cos 𝑥

𝑑𝑦
+ (tan 𝑥)𝑦 = sec 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑃(𝑥) = tan 𝑥 ; 𝑄(𝑥) = sec 𝑥

Integrating Factor:

∫ 𝑃(𝑥) = ∫ tan 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = ln sec 𝑥

∅(𝑥) = 𝑒 ln sec 𝑥 = sec 𝑥

Integration:

𝑦 sec 𝑥 = ∫ sec 𝑥 (sec 𝑥)𝑑𝑥

1
[𝑦 sec 𝑥 = ∫ sec 2 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 → tan 𝑥 + 𝐶] ( )
sec 𝑥
 tan 𝑥 𝐶
𝑦= +
sec 𝑥 sec 𝑥

𝑦 = sin 𝑥 + 𝐶 cos 𝑥

Solution by: Kenneth Miguel Gultiano

Problem 3. Obtain the general solution of the differential: (2xy+x2+x4) dx – (x2+1) dy |
(Rainville & Bedient, 1989) pp. 36 no. 3 | Difficulty: INTERMEDIATE

Test for Exactness:

(2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 4 )𝑑𝑥 + (−𝑥 2 − 1)𝑑𝑦 = 0
𝜕𝑀 𝜕
= (2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 4 ) = 2𝑥
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝑁 𝜕
= (−𝑥 2 − 1) = −2𝑥
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
𝜕𝑀 𝜕𝑁
≠ ∴ 𝑁𝑜𝑛 − 𝐸𝐷𝐸
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥

General Form:
1
[(2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 4 )𝑑𝑥 − (𝑥 2 + 1)𝑑𝑦 = 0] ( )
(𝑥 2 + 1)𝑑𝑥
(2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 4 ) 𝑑𝑦
− =0
(𝑥 2 + 1) 𝑑𝑥
2𝑥𝑦 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 4 𝑑𝑦
−( + − = 0)
1 + 𝑥 2 𝑥 2 + 1 𝑑𝑥

𝑑𝑦 2𝑥 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 4 𝑥 2 (𝑥 2 + 1)
+ (− )𝑦 = 2 →
𝑑𝑥 1 + 𝑥2 𝑥 +1 𝑥2 + 1

𝑑𝑦 2𝑥
+ (− ) 𝑦 = 𝑥2
𝑑𝑥 1 + 𝑥2
2𝑥
𝑃(𝑥) = (− ) ; 𝑄(𝑥) = 𝑥 2
1 + 𝑥2

Integrating Factor:
2𝑥
∫ 𝑃(𝑥) = ∫ (− ) 𝑑𝑥
1 + 𝑥2
𝑢 = 𝑥2 + 1
= − ln(𝑥 2 + 1)
𝑑𝑢 = 2𝑥 𝑑𝑥
2 +1) 1
∅𝑥 = 𝑒 − ln(𝑥 =
𝑥2 +1
Integration:
𝑦 𝑥2
= ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥2 + 1 𝑥2 + 1
1
= ∫ (1 − ) 𝑑𝑥
𝑥2 +1
1
= ∫ 𝑑𝑥 − ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥2 +1
𝑦 1
[ = 𝑥 − arctan 𝑥 + 𝐶] ( )
𝑥2 + 1 𝑥2 + 1

𝑦 = (𝑥 2 + 1)(𝐶 + 𝑥 − arctan 𝑥)

Solution by: Angelo Louise Olarte

REFLECTION
Linear DEs were straightforward at first glance in comparison to their nonlinear
equivalents, which was confusing. A linear DE's basic structure is:
𝑑𝑦
+ 𝑃(𝑥)𝑦 = 𝑄(𝑥)
𝑑𝑥
And is solved by:

∅ ∙ 𝑦 = ∫ ∅ ∙ 𝑄(𝑥)𝑑𝑥; ∅ = 𝑒 ∫ 𝑃(𝑥)𝑑𝑥

We recall the events where we had difficulty with nonlinear differential equations. These
equations were difficult to solve analytically because they frequently contained intricate
nonlinear functions. We found ourselves fumbling with integration methods, trial-and-
error methods, and substitutions that usually resulted in dead ends. The calculations
appeared to be a maze with no obvious way out especially when turning Non-EDE’s into
EDE using an integrating factor outside of the Linear DE method. It is not an exaggeration
to say that linear DE is the easiest next to Separable DE amongst all methods and forms
of first order differential equations.

REFERENCES
Rainville , E., & Bedient, P. (n.d.). Elementary Differential Equations (8th ed.).
Rainville, E. D., & Bedient, P. E. (1989). Elementary Differential Equations (7th ed.).
Macmillan Publishing Company.
Zill, D. G. (n.d.). A First Course in Differential Equations with Modelling Applications (10th
ed.).