Differential Equations

Overview :

An equation involving derivative(s) of the dependent variable with respect to independent variable(s)
is known as a differential equation.
A differential equation involving derivatives of the dependent variable with respect to only one
independent variable is called an ordinary differential equation and a differential equation involuting
derivatives with respect to more than one independent variables in called partial differential equation.
Order of a differential equation is the order of the highest order derivative occurring in the differential
equation.
For example - order of differential equation
4

r
e

d y
dy
+ 3 y 2 = 0 is 2
dx
dx

i
r
a

2
d3y
2 d y
+ x 2 = 0 is 1
dx3
dx

d
n

Degree of a differential equation is defined if it is a polynomial equation in its derivatives. Degree

of the polynomial if defined is the highest power of the highest ordered derivative involved in the
differential equation. Degree of a differential equation is a positive integer only.
For example - degree of the differential equation

A relation between the variables involved in the differential equation which satisfies the given
differential equation is called its solution.
Solution of differential equation

General Solution
Particular Solution
A solution which contains as many
A solution which is free from artitary
artitary constants as the order of the
constants is called is called a particular
differential equation is called the
solution.
general solution.
To form a differential equation from a given function, we differentiate the function successively as
many times as the number of arbitrary constants in the given function and then eliminate the
artitrary constants.

To from a differential equation representing family of curves given by y 2 = a(b 2 x 2 ) , we have to

differentiate the relation twice and then eliminate the artitrary constants a and b.
The order of a differential equation representing a family of curves is equal to the number of
arbitrary constant(s) present in the equation representing the family of curves.

Types of Differential Equation

There are three methods of solving a first order, first degree differential equation depending on its form.
These are :
(i) Differential equations with variables separable
(ii) Homogeneous differential equations
(iii) Linear differential equations
Let us study each one of them in detail.

Variable Separable Method is used to solve such an equation in which variables can be separated
completely, i.e., terms containing x should remain with dx and terms containing y should remain
with dy.

A function f(x, y) is said to be a homogeneous function of degree n is

(i) f (x, y ) = n f ( x, y ) for some non-zero constant .

r
e

d
n

i
r
a
N

or
n y
n x
(ii) f ( x, y ) = x g or y h
y
x

Note : A function f(x, y) is said to be a homogeneous function of degree zero if

(i) f (x, y ) = f ( x, y )
or
x
y
(ii) f ( x, y ) = g or h
x
y

A homogeneous differential equation of degree zero can be expressed in the form

y
dy
= g
x
dx

or

x
dx
= h
dy
y

To solve a homogeneous differential equation of the type

dy
= f ( x, y ) , we make a substitution y = vx
dx

and to solve a homogeneous differential equation of the type

dx
= G(x, y), make a substitution x = vy.
dy

A differential equation of the form

dy
+ Py = Q , where P and Q are either constants or functions of x is know as a first order linear
dx
differential equation in y.
Solution of such a differential equation is given by

y I.F =

(Q I.F)dx + C,

Pdx
where I.F (Integrating Factor) = e
A differential equation of the form

dx
+ Px = Q, where p and Q are either constants or functions of y is known as first order linear
dy
differential in x.
Solution of such a differential equation is given by
x I.F =

r
e

(Q IF)dy + C

Pdx
where I.F (Integrating Factor) = e

d
n

i
r
a
Question forN
Practice

Very Short Answer Type Questions (1 Mark)

1.

Determine order and degree (if defined) of differential equation given below :
(i)

d4y
+ sin( y ) = 0
dx 4
3

order 4, degree not defined

d s
ds
(ii) + 4 s 2 = 0
dt
dt
2

order 2, degree 1

d2y
dy
dy
=0
(iii) xy 2 + x y
dx
dx
dx
2

order 2, degree 1

d 3 y dy
2
(iv) x 3 + + y = 0
dx
dx
dy
dy
(v) y = x + 1 +
dx
dx

order 3, degree 2

order 1, degree 2

2.

In each of the following verify that the given functions (explicit of implicit) is a solution of the
corresponding differential equation :
dy
+ sin x = 0
(i) y = cos x + k
:
dx
(ii) y = 4 sin 3 x

d2y
+ 9y = 0
:
dx 2

(iii) x + y = tan 1 y

: y2 y + y2 + 1 = 0

(iv) y = A cos 2 x B sin 2 x

d2y
+ 4y = 0
dx 2

(v) y = e + ax + b

ex

d2y
=1
dx 2

Short and Long Answer Type

3.

Form a differential equation representing the given family of curves by eliminating arbitrary constants a and b.
(i) y 2 = a(b 2 x 2 )

xyy + x( y )2 yy = 0

(ii) y = ax 2 + bx + c

y = 0

(iii) y = ac3 x + be 2 x

y y 6 y = 0

(iv) ( y b) 2 = 4( x a)

2 y + ( y )3 = 0

a
+b
x

2
y + ( y ) = 0
x

(v) y =
4.

r
e

d
n

i
r
a
N

Form the differential equation of the family of circles touching the y-axis at origin.

2xyy + x 2 = y 2
3

2
2
dy
2 d y
1 + = r 2
dx
dx

5.

Obtain the differential equation of all circles of radius r.

6.

Form the differential equation of the family of ellipses having foci on y-axis and centre at the origin
2

d2y
dy
dy
x + xy 2 y
=0
dx
dx
dx

7.

Form the differential equation of the family of hyperboles having foci on x-axis and centre at origin
xyy + x( y ) 2 yy = 0

8.

Find the general solution of the following differential equation

3
(i) sin x

dx
= sin y
dy

(ii) sec 2 x tan ydx + sec 2 y tan x dy = 0

3
1
cos y cos x + cos 3x = c
4
12

tan x tan y = c

1
(1 + log x) 2 = tan 2 y + c
2

(iii) (1 + y 2 )(1 + log x )dx + x dy = 0

dy
= (1 + x 2 )(1 + y 2 )
dx

(iv)

x
2
(v) e 1 y dx +

tan 1 y = x +

y
dy = 0
x

xe x x = 1 y 2 + c

(vi) cos x (1 + cos y ) dx sin y (1 + sin x )dy = 0

9.

(1 + sin x )(1 + cos y ) = c

(vii) e x tan ydx + (1 e x ) sec 2 y dy = 0

Solve the following initial value problem :

tan y = c (1 e x )
1 1 x

(i) x ( xdy y dx ) = ydx , y(1) = 1

y = xe

(ii) y = y cot 2 x, y ( / 4) = 2

, x 0.

y = 2 sin 2 x
1

(log x )2 + log x + tan 1 y =

2
4

(iii) (1 + y 2 )(1 + log x )dx + x dy = 0 , given y = 1, when x = 1

dy
1
= 3 y 3 given that y(0) =
(iv) e
2
dx

x3
+c
3

r
e

d
n

i
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a
N

6 y 2 e x = 1

10. Show that the given differential equation are homogeneous and solve each of them
2
(i) x

dy
= x 2 2 y 2 + xy
dx

1
2 2

log

x + 2y
= log | x | + c
x 2y

(ii) ( x + y )dy x y dx = 0

x3
+ log | y | = c
3 y3

dy
y
= y x tan
dx
x

x sin

(iii) x

y
(iv) ydx + x log dy 2 x dy = 0
x
x
y

dy
(v) (2 xe y ) = 2 ye y
dx

y
cy = log 1
x
x

2e y = c log y

(vi) 1 + e y dx + e y 1 x dy = 0

y
=c
x

ye

+x=c

11. Solve the following differential equation and find the particular solution satisfying the given conditions
(i)

dy y
y
+ cosec = 0 ; y = 0 when x = 1
x
dx x

y
cos = log | ex |
x

y=

(ii) ( x 2 + y 2 )dx + xydy = 0, y (1) = 1

3 x4
2x2

y
2 y
cot = log(cx)
(iii) x sin y dx + x dy = 0
x
x

12. For each of the following differential equation find the general or particular solution as the case may
be :
(i) x

dy
+ 2 y = x 2 log x
dx

2
(ii) cos x

y=

dy
+ y = tan x
dx

y = (tan x 1) + ce tan x

(iii) (1 + y 2 )dx = (tan 1 y x )dy

x = (tan 1 y 1) + ce tan

(iv) ydx + ( x y )dy = 0

3

2
(v) (1 + x )

1
dy
+ 2 xy =
;y = 0 when x = 1
1 + x2
dx

(vi) ye y dx = ( y 3 + 2 xe y )dy , y(0) = 1

(vii) ydx ( x + 2 y 2 )dy = 0
13. Solve the following differential equation :

x2
(4 log x 1) + cx 2
16

r
e

i
r
a
N

d
n

y dy
y
x cos
= y cos + x
x dx
x

y4
xy =
+c
4
y (1 + x 2 ) = tan 1 x

x = y 2 (e 1 e y ), y 0
x
= 2y + c
y
y
sin = log x + c
x

14. Solve the following differential equation :

dy
1
3
y = (sin x cos x ) + e x
y = cos x , given that if x = 0, y = 1
dx
2
2
15. Find the particular solution of the following differential equation, given that at x = 2, y = 1 :
dy
+ 2 y = x 2 , ( x 0)
dx
16. Find the particular solution of the differential equation :
dy
+ y cot x = 2 x + x 2 cot x, x 0
dx

given that y = 0, where x =

2
17. Find the particular solution of the differential equation :
x

2 ye y dx + ( y 2 x e y )dy = 0 given that x = 0 when y = 1.

4y = x2

y = x2

2
cosec x
4

2e y + log y = 2

18. Solve the following differential equation :

dy

+ sec x. y = tan x, 0 x <

dx
2
19. Solve the following differential equation :

y (sec x + tan x ) = sec x + tan x x + c

(1 + x 2 )dy + 2 xydx = cot xdx ( x 0)

y (1 + x 2 ) = log sin x + c

20. Solve the following differential equation :

dy
+ y x + xy cot x = 0 , x 0
dx
21. Find the particular solution of the differential equation :

xy sin x = x cos x + sin x + c

dy
= 2 x 2 + x ; y = 1 when x = 0.
dx
22. Solve the following differential equation :
( x 3 + x 2 + x + 1)

y
y
xy log dx + ( y 2 x 2 log dy = 0
x
x

x 2 1 + 2log + 4 y 2 (log y + c) = 0

r
e

23. Solve the following differential equation :

y

x cos + y sin
x

y
y
y dy

=0
y y sin x cos x
x
x
x dx

e 2 x
y dx

= 1, x 0
24. Solve :
x dy
x

d
n

i
r
a
N

tan

y
y
log = 2 x + c
x
x
y = ( 2 x + C ) l 2

25. Solve the following differential equation :

(1 + y )(1 + log x)dx + xdy = 0
2

log | x | +

(log x)2
= tan 1 y + c
2