Differential Equations (MTH401)

Separable Equations
The differential equation of the form
dy
= f ( x, y )
dx
is called separable if it can be written in the form
dy
= h( x ) g ( y )
dx
To solve a separable equation, we perform the following steps:

1. We solve the equation g ( y ) = 0 to find the constant solutions of the equation.

2. For non-constant solutions we write the equation in the form.

dy
= h( x) dx
g ( y)
⌠ 1
Then integrate  dy = ∫ h( x ) dx
⌡ g ( y)
to obtain a solution of the form
G ( y ) = H ( x) + C
3. We list the entire constant and the non-constant solutions to avoid repetition..

4. If you are given an IVP, use the initial condition to find the particular solution.

Note that:
(a) No need to use two constants of integration because C1 − C 2 = C .
(b) The constants of integration may be relabeled in a convenient way.
(c) Since a particular solution may coincide with a constant solution, step 3 is
important.

Example 1:
Find the particular solution of
dy y 2 − 1
= , y (1) = 2
dx x
Solution:
1. By solving the equation
y2 −1 = 0
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Differential Equations (MTH401)

We obtain the constant solutions

y = ±1
2. Rewrite the equation as
dy dx
2
=
y −1 x
Resolving into partial fractions and integrating, we obtain
1⌠ 1 1 
dy = ⌠
1
  −   dx
2 ⌡  y − 1 y + 1 ⌡x
Integration of rational functions, we get
1 | y −1|
ln = ln | x | +C
2 | y +1|
3. The solutions to the given differential equation are
1 | y −1 |
 ln = ln | x | +C
2 | y +1|
 y = ±1
4. Since the constant solutions do not satisfy the initial condition, we plug in the
condition
y = 2 When x = 1 in the solution found in step 2 to find the value of C .
1 1
ln  = C
2  3
The above implicit solution can be rewritten in an explicit form as:
3 + x2
y=
3 − x2

Example 2:
Solve the differential equation

dy 1
= 1+ 2
dt y
Solution:

1. We find roots of the equation to find constant solutions

1
1+ =0
y2
No constant solutions exist because the equation has no real roots.
2. For non-constant solutions, we separate the variables and integrate
⌠ dy
 = ∫ dt
⌡ 1 + 1/ y
2

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Differential Equations (MTH401)

1 y2 1
Since 2
= 2
= 1− 2
1 + 1/ y y +1 y +1
⌠ dy
Thus  = y − tan −1 ( y )
⌡ 1 + 1/ y
2

−1
So that y − tan ( y ) = t + C
It is not easy to find the solution in an explicit form i.e. y as a function of t.
3. Since ∃ no constant solutions, all solutions are given by the implicit equation
found
in step 2.

Example 3:
Solve the initial value problem
dy
= 1 + t 2 + y 2 + t 2 y 2 , y( 0 ) = 1
dt
Solution:

2 2 2 2 2 2
1. Since 1 + t + y + t y = (1 + t )(1 + y )
The equation is separable & has no constant solutions because ∃ no real roots of
1+ y2 = 0.
2. For non-constant solutions we separate the variables and integrate.
dy
2
= (1 + t 2 ) dt
1+ y
⌠ dy
 = ∫ (1 + t 2 )dt
⌡ 1+ y
2

−1 t3
tan ( y ) = t + + C
3
Which can be written as
 t3 
y = tan t + + C 
 3 
3. Since ∃ no constant solutions, all solutions are given by the implicit or explicit
equation.

4. The initial condition y (0) = 1 gives

π
C = tan −1 (1) =
4
The particular solution to the initial value problem is

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Differential Equations (MTH401)

−1 t3 π
tan ( y ) = t + +
3 4
 t3 π 
or in the explicit form y = tan  t + + 
 3 4
Example 4:

Solve
(1 + x )dy − ydx = 0
Solution:

Dividing with (1 + x ) y , we can write the given equation as

dy y
=
dx (1 + x )
1. The only constant solution is y = 0

2. For non-constant solution we separate the variables

dy dx
=
y 1+ x
Integrating both sides, we have
⌠ dy ⌠ dx
 =
⌡ y ⌡ 1+ x
ln y = ln 1 + x + c1
ln|1+ x|+ c1 ln|1+ x| c1
y=e =e .e
c1 c1
or y = |1+ x | e == ± e (1 + x )
c
y = C (1 + x ) , C = ± e 1

If we use ln | c | instead of c1 then the solution can be written as

ln | y |= ln | 1 + x | + ln | c |
or ln | y |= ln c (1 + x )
So that y = c(1 + x ) .
3. The solutions to the given equation are
y = c(1 + x )
y = 0

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Differential Equations (MTH401)

Example 5

Solve

( )
xy 4 dx + y 2 + 2 e −3 x dy = 0 .

Solution:

The differential equation can be written as

dy   y4 
=  − xe 3x   2 
dx    y + 2 
y4
1. Since 2 ⇒ y = 0 . Therefore, the only constant solution is y = 0.
y +2
2. We separate the variables
y2 + 2
xe 3 x dx + 4
(
dy = 0 or xe 3 x dx + y −2 + 2 y − 4 dy = 0)
y
Integrating, with use integration by parts by parts on the first term, yields
1 3x 1 3x 2
xe − e − y −1 − y −3 = c1
3 9 3
9 6
e 3 x (3 x − 1) = + + c where 9c1 = c
y y3
3. All the solutions are

9 6
e 3 x (3 x − 1) = + +c
y y3
y = 0

Example 6:

Solve the initial value problems

dy 2 dy 2
(a) = ( y − 1) , y ( 0) = 1 (b) = ( y − 1) , y (0) = 1.01
dx dx
and compare the solutions.

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Differential Equations (MTH401)

Solutions:
1. Since ( y − 1) 2 = 0 ⇒ y = 1 . Therefore, the only constant solution is y = 0 .
2. We separate the variables
dy −2
2
= dx or ( y-1) dy = dx
( y − 1)
Integrating both sides we have
∫ ( y − 1) dy = ∫ dx
−2

( y − 1)− 2 + 1 = x + c
− 2 +1
1
or − = x+c
y −1
3. All the solutions of the equation are
1
− = x+c
y −1
y = 1
4. We plug in the conditions to find particular solutions of both the problems

(a) y (0 ) = 1 ⇒ y = 1 when x = 0 . So we have

1 1
− = 0 + c ⇒ c = − ⇒ c = −∞
1−1 0
The particular solution is
1
− = −∞ ⇒ y − 1 = 0
y −1
So that the solution is y = 1 , which is same as constant solution.
(b) y (0 ) = 1.01 ⇒ y = 1.01 when x = 0 . So we have
1
− = 0 + c ⇒ c = −100
1.01 − 1
So that solution of the problem is
1 1
− = x − 100 ⇒ y = 1 +
y −1 100 − x
5. Comparison: A radical change in the solutions of the differential equation has
Occurred corresponding to a very small change in the condition!!

Example 7:
Solve the initial value problems

dy 2 dy 2
(a) = ( y − 1) + 0.01, y ( 0) = 1 (b) = ( y − 1) − 0.01, y ( 0 ) = 1.
dx dx

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Differential Equations (MTH401)

Solution:

(a) First consider the problem

dy 2
= ( y − 1) + 0.01, y ( 0) = 1
dx

We separate the variables to find the non-constant solutions

dy
= dx
( )2
0.01 + ( y − 1)
2

Integrate both sides

⌠ d ( y − 1)
 = ∫ dx
⌡ ( )2
0.01 + ( y − 1)
2

1 y −1
So that tan −1 = x+c
0.01 0.01

 y −1 
tan −1   = 0.01( x + c )
 0.01 

y −1
0.01
[
= tan 0.01( x + c ) ]
or [
y = 1 + 0.01 tan 0.01( x + c ) ]
Applying y (0 ) = 1 ⇒ y = 1 when x = 0 , we have

tan −1 (0) = 0.01(0 + c ) ⇒ 0 = c

Thus the solution of the problem is

y = 1 + 0.01 tan 0.01 x ( )

(b) Now consider the problem

dy 2
= ( y − 1) − 0.01, y ( 0 ) = 1.
dx
We separate the variables to find the non-constant solutions

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Differential Equations (MTH401)

dy
2
= dx
( y − 1) −
2
( 0.01 )
⌠
 d ( y − 1)
 2
= ∫ dx

⌡ ( y − 1) −
2
( 0.01 )
1 y − 1 − 0.01
ln = x+c
2 0.01 y − 1 + 0.01
Applying the condition y (0) = 1 ⇒ y = 1 when x = 0
1 − 0.01
ln =c⇒c=0
2 0.01 0.01

y − 1 − 0.01
ln = 2 0.01 x
y − 1 + 0.01

y − 1 − 0.01 e2 0.01 x
=
y − 1 + 0.01 1

Simplification:
a c a+b c+d
By using the property = ⇒ =
b d a −b c−d
y − 1 − 0.01 + y − 1 + 0.01 e 2 0.01x + 1
=
y − 1 − 0.01 − y + 1 − 0.01 e 2 0.01x − 1
2y − 2 e2 0.01 + 1
=
−2 0.01 e2 0.01 − 1
y −1 e 2 0.01 + 1
=
− 0.01 e 2 0.01 − 1
 e 2 0.01 + 1 
y − 1 = − 0.01 
 e 2 0.01 − 1 
 
e 2 0 . 01
+ 1 
y = 1 − 0 . 01 
 e 2 0 . 01 − 1 
 

Comparison:

The solutions of both the problems are

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Differential Equations (MTH401)

(a) y = 1 + 0.01 tan 0.01 x ( )

 e 2 0 . 01 + 1 
(b) y = 1 − 0 . 01  
 e 2 0 . 01 − 1 
 
Again a radical change has occurred corresponding to a very small in the differential
equation!

Exercise:

Solve the given differential equation by separation of variables.

2
dy  2 y + 3 
1. = 
dx  4 x + 5 

2. sec 2 xdy + csc ydx = 0

(
3. e y sin 2 xdx + cos x e 2 y − y dy = 0 )

dy xy + 3x − y − 3
4. =
dx xy − 2 x + 4 y − 8

dy xy + 2 y − x − 2
5. =
dx xy − 3 y + x − 3

1 1
6. (
y 4 − x2 ) 2 (
dy = 4 + y 2 ) 2 dx

7. (x + x ) dy
dx
= y+ y

Solve the given differential equation subject to the indicated initial condition.

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Differential Equations (MTH401)

8. (e −y
+ 1)sin xdx = (1 + cos x )dy , y (0 ) = 0

9. (1 + x )dy + x(1 + 4 y )dx = 0 ,

4 2
y (1) = 0

1
10. ( )
ydy = 4 x y 2 + 1 2 dx , y (0) = 1

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