Arkansas Tech University

MATH 2924: Calculus II

Dr. Marcel B. Finan
28 Slope Fields
In this section we describe a graphical method for solving initial value prob-
lems known as the slope elds or direction elds. This method is often
practical when analytical methods for solving a dierential equation are not
possible. An array of short line segments in the plane having the property
that the line plotted at a point (x, y) has slope f(x, y) is called a slope eld
for the dierential equation
dy
dx
= f(x, y). Slope elds are basically used to
visualize the family of solutions of a given dierential equation.
Example 28.1
Find the slope eld of the particular solution to the dierential equation
dy
dx
= 2x
passing through (0, 1). What is the general solution?
Solution.
Figure 28.1 shows the slope eld of the particular solution to the given DE
passing through the point (0, 1).
Figure 28.1
The solution curves look like parabolas. Thus, the general solution is given
by the equation y = x
2
+ C.
Example 28.2
Using the slope elds, guess the form of the solution curves of the dierential
equation
dy
dx
=
x
y
.
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Solution.
The slope elds is shown in Figure 28.2.
Figure 28.2
The solution curves look like circles centered at the origin. Thus, the general
solution is given implicitly by the equation x
2
+y
2
= C where C is a positive
constant.
Example 28.3
Find the slope eld of the dierential equation y

= 2 y and then sketch

the solution curves with initial conditions y(0) = 1, y(1) = 0 and y(0) = 3.
Solution.
The slope eld and the three curves are shown in Figure 28.3:
Figure 28.3
Note that for each solution curve lim
x
y(x) = 2.
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Remark 28.1
Producing slope elds by hand is a daunting task. For that reason, slope
elds are usually created by means of an electronic plotter. One can be
found at the following URL that can be accessed online.
http://www.ies.co.jp/math/java/calc/DiEqu/DiEqu.html
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