MODULE 2: SOLUTIONS OF A DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

At the end of this unit you should be able to:

 Identify solutions, determine their existence and uniqueness, and obtain

the differential equation for an indicated solution by elimination of
arbitrary constants.

Share the several ways or methods of arriving at a differential equation!

I. SOLUTIONS OF DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION

- A solution of a differential equation in the unknown y and the
independent variable x on the interval I is a function y(x) that satisfies the
differential equation identically for all x in I.
Examples:

a. Show that y = Cex is a solution of y’ – y = 0

Differentiate y: y’ = Cex
substitute in the differential equation
Cex - Cex = 0
0 = 0 equation is a solution

b. Show that y = -cosx + c is a solution of y’= sinx

Differentiate y: y’ = sinx
Substitute in the differential equation
sinx = sinx equation is a solution

c. Verify that the function y = C1ex + C2e2x is a solution of the differential

equation y” – 3y’ + 2y = 0
Differentiate y: y’ = C1ex + 2C2e2x
y” = C1ex + 4C2e2x
y’’ is needed because the highest derivative in the equation is y’’
Substitute y, y’ and y” in the differential equation
C1ex + 4C2e2x – 3(C1ex + 2C2e2x) + 2(C1ex + C2e2x) = 0

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 Simplify: C1ex + 4C2e2x – 3C1ex + 6C2e2x + 2C1ex + 2C2e2x = 0
0 = 0 equation is a solution

d. Is y(x) = C1sin2x + C2cos2x, where C1 and C2 are arbitrary constants, a

solution of y” + 4y = 0?
Differentiate y: y’ = 2C1cos2x - 2C2sin2x
y” = -4C1sin2x - 4C2cos2x
y’’ is needed because the highest derivative in the equation is y’’
Substitute y, y’ and y” in the differential equation
-4C1sin2x - 4C2cos2x + 4(C1sin2x + C2cos2x) = 0
Simplify: -4C1sin2x - 4C2cos2x + 4C1sin2x + 4C2cos2x = 0
0 = 0 equation is a solution

e. Determine whether y(x) =2e-x + xe-x is a solution y” + 2y’ + y = 0

Differentiate y: y’ = -2e-x + (-xe-x + e-x)
= -e-x - xe-x
y’’ = e-x – (-e-x + xe-x)
y” = xe-x
Substitute y, y’ and y” in the differential equation
xe-x + 2(-e-x - xe-x) + 2e-x + xe-x = 0
simplify: xe-x + -2e-x - 2xe-x + 2e-x + xe-x = 0
0 = 0 equation is a solution

f. Is y(x) = 1 a solution of y” + 2y’ + y = x?

Differentiate: y’ = 0
y” = 0
Substitute y, y’ and y” in the differential equation
0 + 2(0) + 1 = 0
1 = 0 equation is not a solution

g. Find a solution to the initial value problem y” + 4y = 0; y(0) = 0, y’(0) = 1, if the

general solution to the differential equation is known to be y(x) = C1sin2x +
C2cos2x.
Determine C1 and C2 so that y(x) will satisfy the equation
y(0) = 0
0 = C1sin2(0) + C2cos2(0)
C2 = 0 y’(x) = 2C1cos2x - 2C2sin2x
y'(0) = 1
1 = 2C1cos2(0) - 2C2sin2(0)
1
C1 = 2

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 𝟏
y(x) = 𝟐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝟐𝒙

II. Elimination of Arbitrary Constants

 The order of differential equation is equal to the number of arbitrary
constants in the given relation
 The differential equation is consistent with the relation
Examples

a. x3 - 3x2y = c
Get the 1st derivative: 3x2 - (3x2y + 6xy) = 0
3x2 - 3x2y -6xy = 0
𝑑𝑦 𝑥 2 −2𝑥𝑦
x2- x2y -2xy = 0 =
𝑑𝑥 𝑥2
𝑥 2 −2𝑥𝑦
y’ = (x2 -2xy)dx – x2dy = 0
𝑥2

b. ysinx –xy2 = c
Get the 1st devirative: ycosx + y’sinx – (2xyy’ + y2) = 0
y’(sinx -2xy) = y2 – ycosx
y2 −ycosx
y’ = sinx−2xy
(y2 –ycosx)dx - (sinx- 2xy)dy = 0

c. x2y = 1 + cx (2);
Get the 1st devirative: x2y’ + 2xy = c (1)

substitute (2) in (1)

x2y = 1 + x(x2y’ + 2xy) = 0
x2y = 1 + x3y’ 2x2y
−𝐱 𝟐 𝐲−𝟏
Isolate y’ then y’ = 𝐱𝟑

d. cy2 =x2 + y
𝑐𝑦 2 = 𝑥 2 +𝑦 𝑥2+ 𝑦
;c=
𝑦2 𝑦2
Get the 1st devirative: u = x2 + y ; du = 2x + y’ ; v=y2 ; dv= 2yy’
𝑦 2 (2𝑥 + 𝑦 ′ ) −(𝑥 2 + 𝑦)(2𝑦𝑦 ′ )
0= (𝑦 2 )2
2xy2 + y’y2 -2x2yy’ – 2y2y’ = 0
-y’y2 – 2x2yy’ + 2xy2 = 0
Isolate y’
y’(-y2 -2x2y) + 2xy2 = 0

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 −2𝑥𝑦 2
y’ = −𝑦 2 −2𝑥 2 𝑦
𝟐𝒙𝒚𝟐
y’ = 𝒚𝟐 + 𝟐𝒙𝟐 𝒚

e. y = Asin(𝝎𝒕 + 𝜷) (1)
Until 2nd derivative: y’ = 𝜔Acos(𝜔𝑡 + 𝛽) (2)
y” = - 𝜔2 Asin(𝜔𝑡 + 𝛽) (3)
y” = - 𝜔2 [Asin(𝜔𝑡 + 𝛽)]
y” = - 𝜔2 y
y” + 𝝎𝟐 y = 0

f. y = C1cos2t + C2sin2t
Until 2nd derivative: y’ = -2C1sin2t + 2C2cos2t
y” = -4C1cos2t - 4C2sin2t
y” = -4(C1cos2t + C2sin2t)
y” = -4y
y” + 4y = 0

g. y = C1e2x + C2e3x (1)

Until 2nd derivative: y’ = 2C1e2x + 3C2e3x (2)
y” = 4C1e2x + 9C2e3x (3)
Eliminate C1 : [(1) x (2)] – (2) [(2) x (2)] – (3)
2y = 2C1e2x + 2C2e3x 2y’ = 4C1e2x + 6C2e3x
- y’ = 2C1e2x + 3C2e3x - y” = 4C1e2x + 9C2e3x
2y – y’ = - C2e3x (4) 2y’ – y” = - 3C2e3x (5)

Eliminate C2 : [(4) x (3)] – (5)

6y – 3y’ = 3C2e5x
- -y” + 2y’ = -3C2e3x
y” + 6y - 5y’ = 0
Another Solution
y = C1e2x + C2e3x -y + C1e2x C2e3x = 0
y’ = 2C1e2x + 3C2e3x -y’ + 2C1e2x + 3C2e3x = 0
y” = 4C1e2x + 9C2e3x -y” + 4C1e2x + 9C2e3x = 0

Re-write equation in matrix form:

−𝑦 1 1 −𝑦 1
−𝑦′ 2 3 −𝑦′ 2 = 0
−𝑦" 4 9 −𝑦" 4
-18y-3y” -4y’ + 2y” +12y + 9y’= 0

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 Simplify: y” + 5y’ -6y = 0
III. Family of Curves
-Are equations that includes arbitrary constant. This equation are mostly
standard equations of conic sections of lines, parabolas, circles ellipses and
hyperbolas

Examples:
a. Obtain the differential equation of the family of line passing through the
origin
y = mx + b y-axis
0 = m(0) + b
b=0
Working equation : y =mx (1)
y’ = m (2)
Substitute (2) in (1)
y = y’x
𝑦
y’ = 𝑥
𝑑𝑦 𝑦
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑥

ydx –xdy = 0

b. Obtain the differential equation of the family of parabolas opening upward

with vertex at the origin
(x – h)2 = 4a(y – k)
x2 = 4ay (1)
2𝑥=4𝑎 𝑦′
2
x = 2ay’
𝑥
a = 2𝑦′ (2)
substitute (2) in (1)
𝑥
x2 = 4(2𝑦′)y
2𝑥𝑦
= 𝑦′
2𝑥𝑦 2𝑦 𝑑𝑦 2𝑦
y’ = = in differential form: =
𝑥2 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑥
2ydx –xdy = 0

c. Obtain the differential equation of the family of circles with centers at the
origin.

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 (x-h)2 + (y-k)2 = r2
X2 + y2 = r2
2𝑥+2𝑦𝑦 ′ =0
1st derivative: 2
x + yy’ = 0
−𝑥
y’ = 𝑦
𝑑𝑦 −𝑥
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑦
xdy + ydx = 0

d. Obtain the differential equation of the family of circles whose centers are
on x –axis
(x-h)2 + (y- k)2 = r2
(x –h)2 + y2 = r2
2 arbritrary constant (r,h) until 2nd derivative:
2(𝑥−ℎ)+2𝑦𝑦 ′ =0
2
x – h + 2yy’ = 0
1 – 0 + yy” + y’y’ = o
(y’)2 + y”y’ + 1 = 0

e. Obtain the differential equation family of lines with equal intercepts.

𝑥 𝑦
+ =1
𝑎 𝑏
a=b
𝑥 𝑦
[𝑎 + = 1]a
𝑎
x+y=a
1 + y’ = 0

f. Obtain the differential equation family of ellipses with center at the origin
P(h,k) = P(0,0)
(𝑥−ℎ)2 (𝑦−𝑘)2
+ =1
𝑎2 𝑏2
𝑥2 𝑦2
+ =1
𝑎2 𝑏2
𝑥2 𝑦2
Until 2nd derivative (Eliminate fraction): (𝑎2 + ) 𝑎2 𝑏 2
𝑏2
x2 b2 + y2a2 = a2b2
2𝑥𝑏 2 + 2𝑦𝑦’𝑎2 = 0
2
xb2 +yy’a2 = 0 (1)
Derive equation 1: b2 + a2(yy” + y’y’) = 0

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 b2 = -a2(yy” + y’y’) (2)

Substitute equation (2) in (1)

𝑥(−𝑎 (𝑦𝑦” + 𝑦’𝑦’)) + 𝑦𝑦’𝑎2 = 0
2

𝑎2
-xyy” – x(y’)2 + yy’ = 0

Watch video for Module 2 for more detailed explanations.

Let’s Practice!

I. Obtain the differential equation of the family of curves described and sketch some members
of the family.
1. Straight line with slope and y-intercept equal.
2. Circles with center on the x-axis
3. Parabolas with vertex and focus on the x-axis and opening in the right
4. Ellipses having its centers at the origin and transverse axis x.

II. Find values of 𝐶1 and 𝐶2 so that the given functions will satisfy the prescribed initial
conditions
1. 𝑦(𝑥) = 𝐶1 𝑒 −𝑥 + 𝐶2 𝑒 −𝑥 + 4𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑥; 𝑦(0) = 1, 𝑦 ′ (0) = −1
2. 𝑦(𝑥) = 𝐶1 𝑥 + 𝐶2 + 𝑥 2 − 1; 𝑦(1) = 1, 𝑦 ′ (1) = 2
III. Find the differential equation whose solutions correspond to the following equation
1. 𝑦 = 𝐶1 𝑒 −𝑥 + 𝐶2 𝑒 2𝑥
2. 𝑐𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 𝑦 2 = 0
3. 𝑦 = 𝐶1 𝑥 2 + 𝐶2 𝑒 −𝑥

You will have a quiz at the end of Module 2. It will cover module 1 and 2. Please click
on the link that will be provided in Google classroom.

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