BLANCO, Dave Oliver L.

BSCpE-III

Exact equation, type of differential equation that can be solved directly without the use of any
of the special techniques in the subject. A first-order differential equation (of one variable) is
called exact, or an exact differential, if it is the result of a simple differentiation.

The equation P(x, y)y + Q(x, y) = 0, or in the equivalent alternate

notation P(x, y)dy + Q(x, y)dx = 0, is exact if Px(x, y) = Qy(x, y). (The subscripts in this equation
indicate which variable the partial derivative is taken with respect to.) In this case, there will be
a function R(x, y), the partial x-derivative of which is Q and the partial y-derivative of which is P,
such that the equation R(x, y) = c (where c is constant) will implicitly define a function y that will
satisfy the original differential equation.

The differential equation

M(x,y)dx+N(x,y)dy=0

is an exact equation if

My=Nx

Steps in Solving an Exact Equation

1. Let F/x=M.
2. Write the equation in Step 1 into the form
F=Mx
and integrate it partially in terms of x holding y as constant.
3. Differentiate partially in terms of y the result in Step 2 holding x as constant.
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4. Equate the result in Step 3 to N and collect similar terms.

5. Integrate the result in Step 4 with respect to y, holding x as constant.
6. Substitute the result in Step 5 to the result in Step 2 and equate the result to a constant c.

Example of Exact Equation

Problem 01

Let us first rewrite the equation into

This equation will be called exact if

,
and nonexact otherwise. The condition of exactness insures the existence of a function F(x,y)
such that

When the equation (E) is exact, we solve it using the following steps:
(1)
Check that the equation is indeed exact;
(2)
Write down the system

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(3)
Integrate either the first equation with respect of the variable x or the second with respect
of the variable y. The choice of the equation to be integrated will depend on how easy the
calculations are. Let us assume that the first equation was chosen, then we get

The function
should be there, since in our integration, we assumed that the
variable y is constant.
(4)
Use the second equation of the system to find the derivative of

. Indeed, we have

,
which implies

Note that is a function of y only. Therefore, in the expression giving

variable, x, should disappear. Otherwise something went wrong!

the

(5)
Integrate to find

(6)
Write down the function F(x,y);

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Example:
1. ( 2 4 2 2 ) + ( 2 4 2 2 ) = 0
Test for exactness:
(, ) = ( 2 4 2 2 )

= 4 4

(, ) = ( 2 4 2 2 )

= 4 4

Solution:
Consider

= (, )

= 2 4 2 2

= ( 2 4 2 2 )
3
2
=
4 2 2 + ()
3
2
=

3
2 2 2 2 + ()
3

= 2 2 4 + ()

= (, )

2 2 4 + () = 2 4 2 2

() = 2

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() = 2

() =

3
+ 1
3

=
3
3
2 2 2 2 +
+ 1 = 0
3
3

+ +=

Answer

2. [() + 2] + () = 0
Test for exactness:
(, ) = [() + 2]

= () + cos()

(, ) = ()

= () + cos()

Solution:
Consider

= (, )

= ()

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 = ()
=
=

= sin() + ()

= cos() + ()

= cos() + ()

= (, )

cos() + () = () + 2

() = 2
=

2 2
+ 1
2

= 2 + 1

=
() + =

Answer

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Homogeneous Equation
A function F(x,y) is said to be homogenous of degree k in x and y iff:
(x, y) = (, )

If the function f(x, y) remains unchanged after replacing x by x and y by y, where k is a

constant term, then f(x, y) is called a homogeneous function. A differential equation
Mdx+Ndy=0 Equation (1)
is homogeneous in x and y if M and N are homogeneous functions of the same degree in x and y.

To solve for Equation (1) let

y=vx and dy=vdx+xdv
or
x=vy and dx=vdy+ydv
Example:
1. (2x + y)dx + (x-2y)dy = 0
(x, y) = 2x + y
(x, y) = 2x + y
(x, y) = (2x + y)

= 1

(x, y) = x 2y
(x, y) = x 2y
(x, y) = (x 2y)

= 1

Solution (using separation of variables)

(2x + y)dx + (x-2y)dy = 0
= ,

= +

(2 + )( + ) + ( 2) = 0
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(2 + ) + (2 + ) + ( 2) = 0
(2 2 + + 2) + 2 (2 + 1) = 0
2
(2 + 1)
+ 2
= 0
2

+1
2 + ln( 2 + 1) = 1
[ 2 + ln( 2 + 1) = 1 ]
2 ( 2 + 1) =

2 ( 2) + 1 =

+ =

2. [( ) 2 ( )] + 2 ( ) = 0

(x, y) = ( ) 2 ( )

(x, y) = ( ) 2 ( )

(x, y) = ( ) 2 ( )

(x, y) = [( ) 2 ( )]

= 1

(x, y) = 2 ( )

(x, y) = 2 ( )

(x, y) = 2 ( )

(x, y) = [ 2 ( )]

= 1

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Solution (using separation of variables)

[( ) 2 ( )] + 2 ( ) = 0
= ,

= +

[() 2 ()] + 2 ()[ + ] = 0

( 2 ) + 2 + 2 2 = 0
+ 2 2 = 0

= 0
2

2
+
= 0

+ = 1
( + = 1 )
=
=

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