Differential Equations

In this chapter, students are

i) expected to formulate a simple statement involving a rate of change
as a differential equation, including the introduction of a constant
of proportionality.
ii) to find a general form of solution for a differential equation in
which the variables are separable.
iii) to sketch family of curves
iv) to use an initial condition to find a particular solution of a
differential equation.

Differential Equations of Separable Variable

dy
1. Solve the differential equation = tan y cos x, given that when
dx
π π
x= ,y=
4 4
dy
2. If = xe y (where x ≥ 0) and if y =0 when x = 0, prove that y = - 2.
dx
dy
3. Solve the differential equation = xy given that y = 2 when x = 0.
dx
dy
4. (a) Solve the differential equation = y cot x, (0 < x < π, y > 0),
dx
π
given that y = 2 when x = .
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dy
(b) Solve the differential equation = 1 – y, given that y < 1 and
dx
that y = 0 when x = 0.
(c) Find the general solution of the differential equation
dy
cos2x = 1 – y2, where 0 < y< 1.
dx
dy
5. Find y in terms of x given that = (x + 1)(y + 1), (y > -1), and that
dx
y = 0 when x = 0.

dx k
6. If = , where k is constant, find an expression for x n terms of t,
dt xt
given that x = 2 when t = 1.

dy
7. Find y in terms of x given that (x2 + x) = y ,(x > 0, y > 0),
dx

dr
8. Solve the differential equation cos θ + r sin θ = 0, given that
dθ
r = a when θ = 0, expressing r in terms of a and θ.

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9. Two variables x and t are connected by the differential equation
dx kx
= , where 0 < x < 10 and where k is a constant. It is given
dt 10 − x
that x = 1 when t = 0 and that x = 2 when t = 1. Find the value of t
when x = 5, giving three significant figures in your answer.
dy 2y
10.Find the general solution of the differential equation − = 0.
dx x
Sketch the two solution curves passing respectively through the
points (2, 2) and (-1, -1).

Answers:
1 1 1 3
1. ln sin y = sin x + ln − 2. ln(1 - x 2)
2 2 3
1 1+ y 
b) y = 1 − e − x c) ln   = 2 tan x +
2
3. y = 2e 2 x 4. a) y = 4 sin x
1− y 
c
1 2
+x
Ax
5. y= e 2 x −1 6. x = 2 k ln t + 4 7. y= ¼ (ln )2
x +1
8. r = a cos θ 9. 2.04 10. y = A x2

Expressing statements in the form of a differential equation

1 It is known that the rate of decay of a radioactive substance is

proportional to the amount present. Let y be the amount of the
radioactive substance present at time t.

2 Newton's law of cooling states that the rate of change of

temperature in a cooling body is proportional to the difference in
temperature between the body and its surroundings. Use t for
time, x for temperature of the cooling body and xo for the
temperature of the surroundings (assumed to be constant).

3 The rate at which a radioactive element changes from one form to

another is k times the amount left unchanged, where k is a
constant. Use t for time, A be the amount of unchanged substance
and v be the amount which has been changed at time t.

4 Let the rate of production of a colony of bacteria be proportional to

the number present and rate of destruction be proportional to the
square of the number present. Write down a differential equation
describing the rate of growth of the colony. Let N be the number of
bacteria present.

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5 The rate at which the height h of a certain plant increases is
proportional to the natural logarithm of the difference between its
present height, h, and its final height H.

6 The manufacturers of a certain brand of soap powder are

concerned that the number, n, of people buying their product at
any time t has remained constant for some months. They launch a
major advertising programme which results in the number of
customers increasing at a rate proportional to the square root of n.
Express as differential equations the progress sales
i) before advertising
ii) after advertising.

7 Two quantities x and y each vary with time t. Express the following
statements as differential equations involving x, y and t:
i) the rate of change of y with respect to t is inversely proportional
to x
ii) the rate of change of x with respect to t is inversely proportional
to y.

Hence form a differential equation involving x and y only.

Applications of Differential Equations

1. A radioactive substance decays at a rate proportional to the

amount present. If one gram of a radioactive substance reduces to

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 1
¼ gram in four hours, find how long it will be until gram
10
remains.
2. A certain radioactive substance is known to decay at a rate
proportional to the amount present. A block of this substance
having a mass of 100 grams originally is observed. After 40 hours,
its mass reduces to 90 grams. Find
i) an expression for the mass of the substance at any time,
ii) the time-lapse before the block decays to half of its original
mass.

3. The rate of increase of the population of bacteria in a culture is

proportional to the number of bacteria present at any given
instant. Assume the initial count of bacteria is 1000 and after one
hour the count is 1200. Find

i) the number of bacteria present immediately after 5 hours

ii) the time-lapse before the number reaches 4000.

4. Two quantities x and y each vary with time t. Express the following
statements as differential equations involving x, y and t:
i) the rate of change of y with respect to t is inversely proportional
to x.
ii) the rate of change of x with respect to t is inversely proportional
to y.

Hence form a differential equation involving x and y only, and

prove that the solution is y = Ax n , where A and n are constants.
dy x + y , given that y = 0
dx = e
5. Solve the differential equation
when x = 0.

6. Suppose a metal rod is immersed in water. The water temperature

is held constant at 15 °C. It is observed that the rod cools from
60°C to 40°C in 3 minutes. Find by means of Newton's law of
cooling
i) an expression for the temperature of the rod at any time t,
ii) the temperature of the rod immediately after 9 minutes.

7. The rate at which a radioactive element changes from one form to

another is k times the amount left unchanged, where k is a
constant. At time t = 0, the amount of unchanged substance is A
and the amount which has been changed at time t is v. Write
down a differential equation for v, and solve it to give v in terms of
A, k and t. Sketch the graph of v against t. Find the half-life of the

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 element, i.e. the time needed for half of the amount A to be
changed.

8. A cylindrical tank of radius 20 cm stands with its axis of symmetry

vertical. Water is running out of the tank, through an open tap, at a
rate which is proportional to the square root of the volume of the
water remaining in the tank.
(a) Express this information in the form of a differential equation.
(b) Given that the depth of water in the tank is initially 38.5 cm and
that the tank empties completely in 55 seconds, show that
V = (220 − 4t ) 2 , where V is the volume in cm 3 and t is the time in
seconds.
(c) The tank is emptied completely but the person responsible forgot to
close the tap. Water is added to the tank at a rate of 1320 cm 3 per
second but the tap remains open. Find the depth to which the
water rises in the tank. (Give your answer to 1 decimal place. Take
π = 22/7).

9. A new and wonderful computer comes on the market. The rate of

increase in the number of people, x, who owns one is proportional to
the product of x and (N – x), where N is a constant.
(a) Write down a differential equation relating x and t.
1
(b) Initially x = N , and after one week of aggressive selling, x =
10
1 x
N . Show that after t weeks, = 3t − 2 .
4 N−x
(c) What happens to x as t → ∞ ?
(d) Sketch the graph of x against t.
(e) Find the time at which ¾ N people own one of these computers.

10. The rate of destruction of a drug by the kidneys is proportional to the

amount of the drug present in the body. The constant of
proportionality is denoted by k. At time t the quantity of drug in the
body is x. Write down a differential equation relating x and t, and
show that the general solution is x = Ae − kt , where A is an arbitrary
constant.
Before t = 0 there is no drug in the body, but at t = 0, a quantity Q of
the drug is administered. When t = 1 the amount of drug in the body
is Qα, where α is a constant such that 0 < α < 1. Show that x = Qα t.
Sketch the graph of x against t for 0 < t < 1.
When t = 1 and again when t = 2 another dose Q is administered.
Show that the amount of drug in the body immediately after t = 2 is
Q(1 + α + α2).

Answers:

1. t = 6.64 hours 2. i) y = 100e −0.00263t ii) 263hrs

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 dy a dx b
3. i) 2490 ii) 7.60 hour 4. i) = ii) = 5. y = −ln(2 − e x )
dt x dt y
t
6 i) 5 ii) x = 22.716 = 22.7°C
x = 15 + 45  3 or x = 15 + 45e -0.196 t
9
7. v = A(1 - e -kt ) ; t = 1 k ln2 8. c) 21.7 cm
9. c) Ans: x → N e) 3 weeks

More exercises

1. Newton's law of cooling states that the rate of decrease of temperature

of a hot body is proportional to the excess of the temperature of the
body over that of the surroundings. Using t for time in minutes, θ for
temperature in degree C, and θo for the temperature of the
surroundings (assumed constant), express the law in the form of a
differential equation. In a particular case θ o = 20, θ = 80 when t = 0,
t
and θ = 70 when t = 5. Prove that, at time t, 5 and
θ = 20 + 60 ( ) 5
6
find, to the nearest tenth of a minute, the value of t when θ = 30.

2. Waste from a mining operation is dumped on a 'slag-heap', which is a

large mound, roughly conical in shape, which continually increases in
size as more waste material is added to the top. In a mathematical
model, the rate at which the height h of the slag-heap increases is
inversely proportional to h 2 . Express this statement as a differential
equation relating h with the time t.
dh 1
∝
dt h2
Show by integration that the general solution of the differential
equation relating h and t may be expressed in the form h 3 = At + B ,
where A and B are constants. h3 = At + B
A new slag-heap was started at time t = 0, and after 2 years its height
was 18 m. Find the time by which its height would grow to 30 m.
The assumptions underlying this mathematical model are that the
volume V of the slag-heap increases at a constant rate, and that the
slag-heap remains the same shape as it grows, so that V is
proportional to h3. Show how these assumptions lead to the model
described in the first paragraph.

3. A tank, with rectangular base and having vertical sides of height h,

is initially full of water. The water leaks out of a small hole in the
horizontal base of the tank at a rate which, at any instant, is
proportional to the square root of the depth of the water at that
instant. If x is the depth of the water at time t after the leak
started, write down a differential equation connecting x and t.
If the tank is exactly half empty after one hour, find the further
time that elapses before the tank becomes completely empty.

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4. A vessel contains liquid which is flowing out from a small hole at a
point O in the base of the vessel. At time t, the height of the liquid
surface above O is z and the rate at which z is decreasing is
3
inversely proportional to z 2 . Write down a differential equation
which expresses dz dt in terms of z. Given that z = 25 when t = 0
and that z = 16 when t = 30, find the value of t when z = 0.

5. The positive quantities x and y are related by the differential

2
equation dy =  y  .
dt x
(a) Find the general solution of this differential equation,
expressing y in terms of x.
(b) Show that the number of the family of solution curves which
passes through the point (1, 1) is a straight line, and that the
member of the family which passes through (1, 2) has an
asymptote parallel to the y-axis.

6. Under suitable conditions, the rate at which the temperature of a

hot object decreases may be taken to be proportional to the
difference between the temperature of the hot object and the
temperature of its surroundings. Express this information as a
differential equation connecting θ and t, whereθ is the temperature
of the hot object at time t, for the case where the temperature of
the surroundings has the constant (non-zero) value θo.
Show that the general solution of the differential equation may be
expressed in the form
θ = θ o + A e- kt, where A and k are constants.
Given that θ = 5θ o when t = 0 and that θ = 3θ o when t = T, find, in
terms of T, the value of t when θ = 2θ o .

dx
7. (a) Find the general solution of the differential equation = kx ,
dt
where k is a positive constant, expressing x in terms of k and t
in your answer.
dx
(b) Solve the differential equation = kx(a - x), 0 < x < a, where k
dt
and a are positive constants, given that x = ½ a when t = 0.
Express x in terms of k, a and t in your answer.

8. The hot water in a domestic hot-water tank is at temperature θ°C

at time t minutes. A dripping hot-water tap means that water at
temperature θ°C is being taken from the tank at a steady rate and
being replaced by cold water, at temperature 10°C, at the same
rate. It is assumed that the incoming cold water mixes
immediately with the hot water already in the tank, that the tank is

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 fully insulated, and that no heat is being supplied by a water-
heater. Under these circumstances the rate at which the
temperature of the water in the tank drops is given by the
dθ
differential equation = − k(θ − 10) , where k is a positive constant
dt
whose numerical value depends on the rate at which the tap is
dripping. At time t = 0 the water in the tank is at temperature 60°
C.
(a) Solve the differential equation, expressing θ in terms of k and t
in your answer.
(b) When heat is being supplied by a water-heater, the differential
dθ
equation relating θ and t becomes = − k(θ − 10) + h , where
dt
the numerical value of the constant h depends on the rate at
which heat is being supplied. Describe, with the aid of a
diagram, what will happen to the temperature of the water in
the tank for each of the cases h = 40k and h = 60k, again
assuming that θ = 60 when t = 0.

9. At time t, the volume of the water in a storage tank is denoted by v.

Water is lost from the tank by leakage at a rate equal to kv where k
is a positive constant. Water is also lost through evaporation at a
constant rate p.
a) Write down a differential equation expressing this information.
− kt − p (1 − e − kt )
b) Given that v = V when t = 0, show that v = Ve
k
c) Find the time, t, taken for the tank to empty.

10.In a model of mortgage repayment, the sum of money owed to the

Building society is denoted by x and the time is denoted by t. Both
x and t are taken to be continuous variables. The sum of money
owed to the Building society increases, due to interest, at a rate
proportional to the sum of money owed. Money is also repaid at a
constant rate r. When x = a, interest and repayment balance.
dx r
Show that for x > 0, =  (x - a) . Given that, when t = 0, x = A,
dt a
find x in terms of t, r, a and A. On a single, clearly labeled sketch,
show the graph of x against t in the two cases (i) A > a, (ii) A < a.
State the circumstances under which the loan is repaid in a finite
a  a 
time T and show that, in this case T = ln .
r a - A

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 dx dx dx
∝ x and ∝ −r ⇒ = kx − r
dt dt dt
dx r
x=a⇒ = 0. ∴ k =
dt a
dx r
Thus = (x − a)
dt a
rt
r a
Integrate : ln (x - a) = t ⇒ x = a + (A − a)e
a

x
A<a

x=a

A<a
t

From the graph, the loan will only be repaid in a finite time T if A < a.
If A >a, the loan is repaid, i.e x = 0

when x = 0, ln
 x - a  = ln - a  = rT ⇒ T = a ln a 
    
 A-a  A-a a r  A-a
dx r
Thus = (x − a)
dt a
rt
r a
Integrate : ln (x - a) = t ⇒ x = a + (A − a)e
a
11.A population of insects is allowed to grow in an experimental
environment. The rate of increase of the population is proportional
to the number, n, of insects, at any time t days after the start of
the experiment. Regarding n and t as continuous variables, form a
differential equation relating n and t and solve it to show that
n = Ae kt , where A and k are constants.
The net increases during the fourth and fifth days are 350 and 500
insects respectively. Determine the population at the beginning of
the fourth day. Hence, or otherwise, determine the population at
the beginning of the first day.

12.A race called the Matrices live on an isolated island called Vector.
The number of births per unit time is proportional to the
population at any time and the number of deaths per unit time is

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 proportional to the square of the population. If the population at
dp
time t is p, show that = ap - bp 2 , where a and b are positive
dt
constants. Solve the equation for p in terms of t, given that
2 a
p = ( ) when t = 0. Show that there is a limit to the size of the
3 b
population.

13.Newton's law of cooling states that the rate of loss of temperature

of a cooling body is proportional to the difference in temperature
between the body and its surroundings. Express this law in the
form of a differential equation, using symbols t for time and x for
the temperature of the body. Solve this equation for x in terms of t,
given that the room temperature is 20°C and that it takes a
particular body 12 minutes to cool from 100°C to 50°C. Hence find
the time taken by the body to cool from 50°C to 25°C.
dx
− ∝ (x - x0 ) ; x - x0 = Ae -kt ; 21.9 mins
dt

14.Newton's law of cooling states that the rate of loss of temperature

of a cooling body is proportional to the difference between the body
temperature and the surrounding temperature.
i) Set up a differential equation describing the temperature of
the body.
dθ
− = k(θ − θ o )
dt
ii) A beaker of water initially at 100°C is allowed to cool in a room
maintained at 20°C. After 2 minutes, the water temperature is
80°C. Find the as a function of time.
t
θ = 20 + 80 ( 3 4 ) 2 or θ = 20 + 80 e - 0.144t
iii) Evaluate
(a) the water temperature after 4 minutes,
4
θ = 20 + 80 ( 3 ) 2 =
4
65 ° C
(b) the time taken for the water to reach 50°C. t = 6.82 mins.

Answer:

dx
1. when θ = 30 , t = 49.1 mins. 2. 9.3 years 3. − dt = k x ; 2 +1

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 dz 1 dv
4. − dt ∝ 3 ; 44.6 9. − = kv − p
z 2 dt

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