7.

Differential Equations

7.1 Modeling Situations with Differential Equations

There are different physical phenomena in nature that can be described by what is known as
differential equations. Differential equations are expressions that involve the function and their
derivatives (of any order). For example, the simple growth/decay differential equation looks as
follows:

dP
= kP
dt
A solution to a differential equation is a function that satisfies the conditions of said expression.
Before we begin our discussion it is important to review some vocabulary:

• A is proportional to B:

• A is inversely proportional to B:

• A is proportional to the reciprocal of the cube of B:

186 Chapter 7. Differential Equations

Exercise 7.1 The population of a certain species of insect is given by a differentiable function P,
where P(t) is the number of insects in the population, in millions, at time t, where t is measured
in days. When the environmental conditions are right, the population increases with respect to
time at a rate that is directly proportional to the population. Starting August 15, the conditions
were favorable and the population began increasing. On August 20, five days later, there were an
estimated 10 million insects and the population was increasing at a rate of 2 million insects per
day. Which of the following is a differential equation that models this situation?

(A) P = 2(t 5) + 10

dP 2
(B) = t
dt 5
dP 1
(C) = P
dt 5
dP
(D) = 5P
dt
⌅

Exercise 7.2 A scientist is studying the relationship of two quantities S and T in an experiment.
The scientist finds that under certain conditions, as the quantity of S increases, the quantity of
T decreases. After taking measurements, the scientist determines that the rate of change of the
quantity of S with respect to the quantity of T present is inversely proportional to the natural
logarithm of the quantity of T . Which of the following is a differential equation that could
describe this relationship?

k
(A) S = , where k is a nonzero constant.
ln T
dS ln T
(B) = , where k is a nonzero constant.
dT k
dS k
(C) = , where k is a nonzero constant.
dT ln T
dT k
(D) = , where k is a nonzero constant.
dS ln S
⌅
 7.2 Verifying Solutions for Differential Equations 187

7.2 Verifying Solutions for Differential Equations

⌅ Example 7.1 Determine whether each function is a solution of the differential equation

y00 y=0

(a) y = sin x

x
(b) y = 4e

(c) y = Cex , where C is a constant.

R Note that for the last problem Cex serves as a solution for any value of C. This means that
y = Cex is a general solution. However, if we are given further restrictions, we can find the
particular solution.

Exercise 7.3 For what value of k, if any, will y = ke 2x +4 cos(3x) be a solution to the differential
2x
equation y00 + 9y = 26e ?

(A) 2

13
(B)
5
(C) 26

(D) There is no such value of k.

⌅
 188 Chapter 7. Differential Equations

7.3 Sketching Slope Fields

⌅ Example 7.2 Sketch a slope field for the differential equation y0 = x y for the points in the graph
below.

2 1 1 2

⌅ Example 7.3 Match each slope field with its differential equation.
(a) y0 = x + y

(b) y0 = x

(c) y0 = y
 7.4 Reasoning Using Slope Fields 189

⌅ Example 7.4 Below is the slope field for the differential equation y0 = x + y.

(a) Use the slope field to sketch the solution

that passes through the point (1, 1).

(b) Is the graph of the particular solution that

satisfies f (1) = 1 concave down on the in-
terval ( 2, 2)?

7.4 Reasoning Using Slope Fields

dy 2 y
⌅ Example 7.5 Consider the differential equation = . Let y = f (x) be the particular
dx x
solution to the given differential equation with the initial condition f (3) = 1.
(a) Write an equation for the line tangent to the graph of y = f (x) at x = 3.

(b) Use the equation to approximate the value of f (3.5).

 190 Chapter 7. Differential Equations

7.5 (BC) Approximating Solutions Using Euler’s Method

7.5.1 Euler’s Method
Euler’s Method is a numerical approach to approximating the particular solution of the differential
equation

y0 = F(x, y)
that passes through the point (x0 , y0 ).

12

10

2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

7.5 (BC) Approximating Solutions Using Euler’s Method 191

Theorem 7.5.1 — Euler’s Method. Starting at (x0 , y0 ) proceed in the direction indicated by the
slope using a small step h, to arrive at point (x1 , y1 ), such that,

dy
x1 = x0 + h and y1 = y0 + · h.
dx (x0 ,y0 )

This process is iterative which means it can be repeated until we reach the destined approxi-
mation.

x1 = x0 + h
x2 = x1 + h y1 = y0 + hF(x0 , y0 )
.. y2 = y1 + hF(x1 , y1 )
. ..
xn = xn 1 +h
.
yn = yn 1 + hF(xn 1 , yn 1 )

dy
⌅ Example 7.6 Let y = g(x) be the solution to the differential equation= xy 2 with the initial
dx
condition g(2) = 1. What is the approximation for g(1) if Euler’s method is used, starting at x = 2
with two steps of equal size?

Exercise 7.4 Consider the differential equation y0 = y 6x. Let y = f (x) be the particular
solution of the differential equation with f (0) = 1. If Euler’s Method, starting at x = 0 with
three steps of equal size, is used to approximate f (0.6), what is the resulting approximation?

(A) 2.8

(B) 2.496

(C) 2.23

(D) 1.68

⌅
 192 Chapter 7. Differential Equations

7.6 Differential Equations Separation of Variables

Definition 7.6.1 An equation is called separable if it follows the following form

dy
M(x) + N(y) =0
dx
where M is strictly a function of x and N is strictly a function of y.

⌅ Example 7.7 Find the general solution of

dy
(x2 + 4) = xy
dx

dy cos xesin x
Exercise 7.5 What is the general solution to the differential equation = ?
dx cos y

(A) y = arcsin(esin x ) +C

(B) y = arcsin(esin x +C)

(C) y = sin x + arcsin(C)

cos x
(D) y = arcsin(sin xe +C)

⌅
 7.7 Particular Solutions with Initial Conditions 193

7.7 Particular Solutions with Initial Conditions

dy 2 y
⌅ Example 7.8 Consider the differential equation = . Find the particular solution y = f (x)
dx x
to the given differential equation with the initial condition f (3) = 1.

dy
⌅ Example 7.9 Find the particular solution to the differential equation = y2 (xy)2 with the
dx
initial condition y(3) = 1.

7.8 Exponential Models with Differential Equations

One of the most common differential equations is that for exponential growth or decay.

dy
Theorem 7.8.1 The exponential growth and decay differential equation is = ky. The general
dt
solution for this differential equation is y =
 194 Chapter 7. Differential Equations

Exercise 7.6 During optimal conditions, the rate of change of the population of a certain
organism is proportional to the population at time t, in hours. At time t = 0 hours, the population
is 300. At time t = 24 hours, the population is 1000. At what time t is the population 500?
p
24 2
(A) t = p
7
48
(B) t =
7
24 ln 500
(C) t =
ln 1000
ln(5/3)
(D) t =
1
ln(10/3)
24
⌅

Exercise 7.7 The quantity R, in grams, of a certain radioactive substance decreases according
dR
to the exponential decay model = 0.05R, where t is measured in seconds. During an
dt
experiment, a scientist determines that the rate of decay of a second substance with the quantity
dS
S, in grams, can be represented by a linear model = 4, where t is measured in seconds. If at
dt
time t = 0, R(0) = 100 and S(0) = 125, at what time t, in seconds, will there be equal quantities
of both substances?

(A) t = 6.318

(B) t = 6.329

(C) t = 23.548

(D) t = 31.197

7.9 (BC) Logistic Models with Differential Equations

dy
Looking back at the differential equation = ky we recall that it has a solution
dt

y = Cekt .

This solution faces a few shortcomings. For example, a growth problem with said solution is
unlimited. However, this is unrealistic in most cases.
Most population models are restricted by a carrying capacity. This is the maximum population
y(t) that can be sustained by an ecosystem. Thus, this bounded growth model is modeled by what
we call a logistic differential equation:
7.9 (BC) Logistic Models with Differential Equations 195

Theorem 7.9.1 — Logistic Differential Equation.. The model for logistic growth is

dy
= ky(a y),
dt
where a is the carrying capacity.

a
R The maximum value of the first derivative of y occurs at .
2

Exercise 7.8 The total number of reported cases of an illness in a large city t days after the start
of an outbreak is modeled by the function y = F(t) that is a solution to the logistic differential
dy 1
equation = y(1400 y). If there are 5 reported cases of the illness initially, what is the
dt 5600
limiting value for the total number of reported cases of the illness as t increases?

(A) 700

(B) 1400

(C) 2800

(D) 5600

dP
Exercise 7.9 The rate of change, , of the number of people entering a movie theater is
dt
modeled by a logistic differential equation. The capacity of the theater is 500 people. At a certain
time, the number of people in the theater is 100 and is increasing at the rate of 50 per minute.
Which of the following differential equations could describe this situation?

dP 1
(A) = (500 P)
dt 8
dP 1
(B) = P(500 P)
dt 50
dP 1
(C) = P(500 P)
dt 800
dP 1
(D) = P(500 + P)
dt 1200
⌅
196 Chapter 7. Differential Equations

Exercise 7.10 The size of a bird population is modeled by the function P that is a solution to
dP P P2
the logistic differential equation = , where t is measured in years for t 0 and the
dt 3 2100
initial population satisfies P(0) > 0. Which of the following statements could be true?

I. lim P(t) > 1150

t!•

II. The graph of P has a point of inflection for t > 0.

III. The maximum rate of change of P occurs at t = 0.

(A) None

(B) II only

(C) I and II only

(D) II and III only

⌅
7.9 (BC) Logistic Models with Differential Equations 197

Exercise 7.11 Free Response. A population is modeled by a function y(t) that satisfies the
logistic differential equation
dy ⇣ y⌘
= 2y 1 .
dt 5
(a) What is lim y(t)?
t!•

(b) For what values of y is the population growing the fastest?

(c) Find the particular solution satisfying y(0) = 3.