CHAPTER

11 Differential Equations

Order of a Differential Equation dy ∫ Pdx

+ Pye ∫ = Qe ∫
Pdx Pdx
\ e
The order of highest order derivative appearing in a differential dx
equation is called the order of the differential equation.
y. e ∫ Pdx
⇒= ∫ Q. e∫
Pdx
dx + C
Degree of a Differential Equation
The degree of an algebraic differential equation is the degree of the
Bernoulli’s Equation
derivative (or differential) of the highest order in the equation, after dy
An equation of the form Qy n ,
+ Py =
the equation is freed from radicals and fractions in its derivatives. dx
Putting     y– n + 1 = v
Variable Separable Differentiable Equations
dv
dy ⇒ + (1 − n) P · y = (1 − n)Q.
A differential equation of the form f (x) + g(y) =0 dx
dx
Following exact differentials must be remembered:
Equations Reducible to Variable
(i) xdy + ydx = d(xy)
Separable form
xdy − ydx  y
dy (ii) =d 
= f (ax + by + c) can be reduced to varible separable form by x 2
x
dx
substitution ydx − xdy x
(iii) =d 
ax + by + c = t. The reduced variable separable form is: y2  y
dt
= dx. xdy + ydx
bf (t ) + a (iv) = d ( nxy )
xy
Homogeneous Differential Equation
dx + dy
dy f ( x, y ) (v) = d (n( x + y ))
= where f(x, y) and g(x, y) are both homogeneous x+ y
dx g ( x, y )
function of same degree in x and y. xdy − ydx  y
(vi) = d  n 
xy  x
dy dv
Substitute y = vx and so = v+x
dx dx ydx − xdy  x
(vii) = d  n 
Equations Reducible to the Homogeneous form xy  y
Consider a differential equation of the form:
xdy − ydx  y
dy a x + b1 y + c1 a b (viii) = d  tan −1 
= 1 , where 1 ≠ 1 x2 + y 2  x
dx a2 x + b2 y + c2 a2 b2
Put        x=X+h ydx − xdy  x
(ix) 2 2
= d  tan −1 
         
y=Y+k x +y  y
Such that, a1h + b1 k + c1 = 0 and a2h + b2 k + c2 = 0 xdx + ydy
(x) = d  n x 2 + y 2 
Linear Equation x2 + y 2  
dy  1  xdy + ydx
An equation of the form + Py = Q (xi) d  −  =2 2
dx  xy  x y
Multiply both sides of the equation by e ∫ .
Pdx
  ex  ye x dx − e x dy Procedure for Finding the Orthogonal Trajectory
(xii) d  =
 y  y2 (i) Let f (x, y, c) = 0 be the equation, where c is an arbitrary
parameter.
 ey  xe y dy − e y dx
(xiii) d  = (ii) Differentiate the given equation w.r.t. x and then eliminate c.
 x  x2
dy dx
Orthogonal Trajectory (iii) Replace by − in the equation obtained in (ii).
dx dy
Any curve which cuts every member of a given family of curves
at right angle is called an orthogonal trajectory of the family. For (iv) Solve the differential equation in (iii).
example, each straight line y = mx passing through the origin, is
an orthogonal trajectory of the family of the circles x2 + y2 = a2.

P Differential Equations 23
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