6.

First Order Bernoulli

Differential Equation

A first order Bernoulli differential equation follows the form

dy
P(x) y Q(x) yn
dx

The solution to this equation may be obtain by transforming the

original equation into a linear differential equation by the
substitution of variable:

z y1 n dz (1 n)y ndy
Substituting to the original Bernoulli Differential Equation, we
obtain:

1
dz
P(x)y Q(x)yn
n
(1 n)y dx
Multiplying both sides of the equation by (1 - n)y
the FOLDE:

-n

we obtain the

where

( x ) e (1 n)P( x )dx

SPECIAL HIGHER ORDER ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL

EQUATIONS

The nth order ODE Reducible to First Order

Test for Reducibility to first order:

dy
dn1
f x , y, r(x )
n1
dx
dx
Illustration: Test if the 4th order ODE

d4 y d3 y d2 y

y 2 0 is reducible to first
dx4 dx3 dx2

order.

The first thing to do is to combine all the derivatives on the lefthand side of the equation:

Example: Determine the solution of

( 2y 4 xy )dx 6 x 2 dy 0.
Solution:
Transform the given DE to a form

d4 y d3 y d2 y

y 2
dx4 dx3 dx2
Just by performing visual inspection, the given DE fails the test for
reducibility due to the following reasons:

dy
P(x ) y Q(x ) yn
dx

Since the order n of the DE is 4, we should be able to factor

dy 2 y4 xy
0

dx
6x 2

out a

dn1
dxn1

, which in this case is

d3
dx3

impossible to do since the lowest derivative is

or

dy 1
1 4

y
y
dx 6x
3x 2
1
P(x )
6x
thus

Q(x )

1
3x 2

1 n 3

Now, the determination of the solution rests on the two formulas

that were given on the previous page:
Get the integrating factor by using the formula

(x) e (1 n)P(x)dx
1

1
dx
2
(x) exp (3)

x
dx exp
6x
2dx

Get the solution by using the formula

(x) y1 n

(1 n)Q(x) (x)dx

. This step is

d2 y .
dx2

The right-hand side of the equation is not a function of x

alone.

From the previous equation we can specify the following:

n 4

x 2 y3 2x 2 c

The solution to the Bernoulli Differential Equation is obtained by

the equation:

(1 n)Q( x ) ( x )dx

1 12
y3 (3)
x dx
3x 2

The solution therefore is:

dz
(1 n)P( x ) z (1 n)Q( x )
dx
( x ) y 1 n

1
2

Illustration: Test if the third order ODE

d3 y
3

dx

d2 y
2

dx

e2x 0 is reducible to first order.

Combining all the derivatives on the left-hand side of the equation:

d3 y
dx3

d2 y
dx2

e2x

Since the order n is 3, we should be able to factor out a

Doing so, we will get:

d2 dy

y e2x
2
dx dx

d2
dx 2

dy
1
y e2x c1x c2
dx
4

Note that the quantity inside the square bracket symbol satisfies
the form

dy
f x , y,

dx

and the right-hand side of the

7.

Step 2:
Solve the reduced DE as a
first-order order differential equation. From Step

equation is a function of x alone, the given DE therefore is

reducible to first order.

1, we obtained

dy
1
y e2x c1x c2 .
dx
4

Determination of the solution of an nth order ODE

This first order DE is linear in y since it follows

Two major steps are needed to obtain the solution of this kind of
higher ODE:

the form

dy
P(x ) y Q(x ) where
dx
P(x ) 1 and
1
Q(x ) e2x c1x c2 .
4

Step 1:
Reduce the nth order DE to first order by performing (n1) successive integrations.
Step 2:

Solve the reduced DE as a first-order order differential

equation. Take note that the complete solution will be
obtained at this stage. For the solution to be complete
it should have n arbitrary constants.

The complete solution is therefore:

Example: Determine the complete solution of

d y
dx3

d y
dx2

2x

This DE has already passed the test for reducibility, which is shown
on the previous page. Same as what was done before, we should
put all the derivatives together on the left-hand side of the
equation.

d3 y
dx3

d2 y
dx2

d
:
dx
d d2 y dy
2x

e
dx dx2 dx

First integration, factor out a

Performing separation of variables and taking the

integral of both sides:

d2 y dy
d

2
dx
dx

e2x dx

Evaluating the integral will yield the equation:

d2 y
dx2

We can simplify the solution by defining a new

c2 c1

e2x

Step 1: The order n of the given DE is 3 hence, 2 successive

integrations are needed to reduce the order to 1.

dy 1 2x
e c1
dx 2

Second integration. Again, factor out a

ex y

1.0
For

dy d y
f x , , 2 0 .
dx dx

The following transformations are needed to reduce this kind of DE to

first order:

Let

Evaluating the integral will yield the first order differential

equation:

dy
dp d2 y
and

dx
dx dx2

Step 1: Reduce

dy d2 y
to
f x , , 2 0
dx dx

dp
x , p, 0 and solve the latter as a first
dx

order DE. The solution that should be obtained at this

stage should be in terms of p and x.

Step 2:

Substitute

dy
to the solution obtained in Step
dx

1 and re-solve as another first order DE. The solution

that should be obtained at this stage should be in terms
of x and y.
Also, for the solution to be complete, it should contain
two arbitrary constants.

Performing separation of variables and taking the integral of both

sides:

y e2x c1 dx
2

is

d2 y

dy

e3x
c1xex c2ex c3
12

Second Order ODE (Dependent Variable y is absent)

this kind of differential equation, the standard form

d
, but this time, we
dx

dy 1 2x
integration, which is

e c1 .
2
dx 2
dx
d dy
1

y e2x c1

dx dx
2

c2 as

As a final remark, always check if the number of arbitrary

constants is equal to the order of the original differential equation.
In the problem that was just solved, the requirement for the
presence of 3 arbitrary constants in the complete solution was
satisfied since we were given a third order DE.

will apply this to the equation that we left during the first

d dx

e3x
c1(xex ex ) c2ex c3
12

ex y

Example: Determine the complete solution of

xy' ' y' 4x.

We can rewrite this given second order DE as

d2 y
2

dx

dy
4x 0. To check if this DE is under the
dx

category of second order DE where the dependent variable y is

absent, two conditions
should be satisfied, namely:

the right-hand side is zero

the left-hand side should contain only the permissible terms
which are

dp
g y, p, p 0
dy

dy
d2 y .
and
x,
dx
dx2
the

d y
2

dx

substituting

given

DE,

which

is

Step 2:

Example: Determine the complete solution of

d2 y dy
y 2

dx
dx

dy
dx
2
xp 2x c1 which

Step 2: Substitute

d2 y
2

dx

dy

dx

to

the

solution

was obtained in Step 1.

that

was

obtained

For

y,

Step 1: Reduce

from

Step

2,

dy
d2 y .
and
dx
dx2
the

given

d2 y dy
y 2

dx
dx

namely

is the complete solution to the

substituting

DE,

which

is

dy
2 0 to first order by
dx

dy
dx

and

dp d2 y
.
p
dy dx2

Doing what has just been suggested will enable us to

treat the given differential equation as a first order DE,
Second Order ODE (Independent Variable x is absent)
this

kind

of

differential

equation,

the

standard

form

is

dy d2 y
0.
f y,
,
dx dx2

which is

dp
yp p2 2p 0. The latter can
dy

be solved using separation of variables.

The expected solution is

The following transformations are needed to reduce this kind of DE to

first order:

Let

dy
0. . To check if this DE is
dx

Since the two conditions were satisfied, we can solve the given DE
using the following steps:

given second order DE since it has two arbitrary constants and it

already contains the appropriate variables which are x and y.

2.0

the right-hand side is zero

the left-hand side should contain only the permissible terms
which are

y x 2 c1 ln x c 2
equation

dy
.
dx

conditions should be satisfied, namely:

dy
x
2x 2 c1. Note that
dx

y x 2 c1 ln x c 2

under the category of second order DE where the independent

variable x is absent, two

the foregoing is a variables separable DE that has a

solution of:

The

After the substitution, this will give us another first

order DE to solve

We can rewrite this given second order DE as

using either the techniques of homogeneous or linear

first order DEs.

xp 2x c1

dy
to the solution obtained in Step
dx

DE. The solution that should be obtained at this stage

should be in terms of x and y. Also, for the solution to
be complete, it should contain two arbitrary constants.

The latter can be solved

Substitute

1 and re-solve as another first order

what has just been suggested will enable us to treat the

given differential equation as a first order DE, which is

The expected solution is

and solve the latter as a

DE. The solution that should be obtained at this stage

should be in terms of p and y.

dy
4x 0, to first order by
dx
dy
dp d2 y . Doing
and
p

dx
dx dx2

dp
x
p 4x 0.
dx

to

first order

Since the two conditions were satisfied, we can solve the given DE
using the following steps:
Step 1: Reduce

dy d2 y
f y,
, 2 0
dx
dx

Step 1: Reduce

dy
dp d y
and p

p
dy dx2
dx

Step 2: Substitute

( p 2) y c1.

dy
dx

to

the

solution

( p 2) y c1 which was obtained in Step 1.

After the substitution, this will give us another first
order DE to solve

dy
2 y c1. Note that

dx

the foregoing is a variables separable DE that has a

solution of:

1
1
(c1 2 y ) c1 ln c1 2 y x c 2
4
4

The

equation

that

was

obtained

from

Step

2,

1
1
(c1 2 y) c1 lnc1 2 y x c2
4
4

namely
is

the

complete solution of the given second order DE since it has two

arbitrary constants and it
already contains the appropriate variables which are x and y.