Differential Equations: Exact Differential Equations

Problem 1. Obtain the general solution of the differential: [sin (y) – y sin (x)] dx + [cos
(x) + x cos (y) – y] dy = 0 | (Zill) pp. 69 no. 4 | Difficulty: INTERMEDIATE

Test for Exactness:

M ( x , y )=sin y − y sin x
∂M
=cos y−sin x N ( x , y )=cos x+ x cos y
∂y
∂N ∂M ∂N
=cos y−sin x = ∴ EDE
∂x ∂ y ∂x

Integrate:
F=∫ ( sin y¿− y sin x )dx +T ( y )¿
¿ [∫ sin y dx−∫ y sin x dx ] +T ( y )
¿ x sin y + y cos x +T ( y )

Differentiate:
∂F
=x sin y+ y cos x+T ( y )
∂y
¿ x cos y +cos x +T ' ( y)

Equate:
x cos y +cos x +T ' ( y )=cos x+ x cos y − y
'
T ( y )=− y
∫ T '( y )=∫− y dy
−1
T ( y )= y+ C
2

Rewrite:
F=x sin y + y cos x + (−12 y +C )
1
C=x sin y+ y cos x − y
2

[ C=
−1
2 ]
( y−2 x sin y−2 y cos x ) (−2 )

C= y−2 x sin y−2 y cos x

Solution by: Kenneth Miguel Gultiano

Problem 2. Obtain the general solution of the differential: (sin Θ – 2r cos2 Θ) dr + r cos Θ
(2r sin Θ+1) dΘ = 0 | (Rainville, Bedient, & Bedient ) pp. 34 no. 19 |
Difficulty: HARD

Test for Exactness:

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 M ( r ,θ )=sin θ−2r cos 2 θ
∂M
=cos θ−2 r ( 2 sin θ cos θ )
∂θ
¿ cos θ−2 r (−sin 2 x )
¿ 2 r sin 2θ+ cos θ
N ( r ,θ )=r cos θ ( 2 r sin θ+1 )
∂N 2
=2r cos θ sin θ+ r cos θ
∂r
2
¿ r sin 2θ+ r cos θ
¿ 2 r sin 2θ+ cos θ

∂M ∂N
= ∴ EDE
∂θ ∂r

Integrate:
F=∫ [r cos θ ( 2 r sin θ+1 ) ¿]dθ+G (r )¿
¿ [∫ 2 r cos θ sin θ dθ+∫ r cos θ dθ ] +G ( r )
2

¿ ∫ r sin 2θ dθ +r sin θ+G ( r )

2

1 2
¿− r cos 2θ+ r sinθ+ G ( r )
2
Differentiate:
∂ F −1 2
= r cos 2 θ+r sin θ+G ( r )
∂r 2
¿ sin θ−r cos 2θ +G' ( r )

Equate:
sin θ−r cos 2 θ+G' ( r )=sin θ−2 r cos 2 θ
1
[
sin θ−r cos 2 θ+G' ( r )=sin θ−2 r ( 1+cos 2 θ )
'
2 ]
sin θ−r cos 2 θ+G ( r )=sin θ−r−r cos 2 θ
'
G ( r )=−r
∫ G' ( r )=−∫ r dr
−1 2
G ( r )= r +C
2

Rewrite:
1 2 1 2
F=r sin θ− r cos 2 θ− r + C
2 2
1 2
C=r sin θ− r ( cos 2 θ+1 )
2
1 2
C=r sin θ− r ( 2 cos θ )
2
2
2 2
C=r sin θ−r cos θ

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 Solution by: Joshua John A. Madelo
Problem 2. Obtain the general solution of the differential: (2xy + y) dx + (x2 – x) dy = 0.
(Rainville & Bedient, 1989) pp. 36 no. 3 | Difficulty: EASY

Test for exactness:

M ( x , y )=2 xy + y
∂M
=2 x
∂y

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 N ( x , y )=x 2−x
∂N
=2 x
∂x

∂M ∂N
= ∴ EDE
∂ y ∂x

Integrate:
F=∫ 2 xy+ y dx+T ( y )
¿ ∫ 2 xy dx +∫ y dx +T ( y )
¿ x 2 y + xy +T ( y )

Differentiate:
∂F ∂ 2
= [ x y + xy ] +T ( y )
∂y ∂ y
¿ x 2+ x+T ' ( y )
x + x+T ( y )=x −xT ( y )=−x ∫ T ( y ) =∫ −2 x dy T ( y ) =−2 xy +C
2 ' 2 ' '

Rewrite:
2
F=x y + xy −2 xy +C
C
=xy + y −2 y
x
C
= y ( x+ 1−2 )
x

C
y= ( x−1 )−1
x

Solution by: Angelo Louise Olarte

REFLECTION

When the concept of exact differential equations was first introduced, we must admit it
felt a bit intimidating. The terminology itself sounded complex, and we had a vague idea
that this was going to be a challenging endeavor. Our first step towards understanding
exact differential equations was to grasp the fundamentals. We started by learning what
it means for an equation to be exact. The critical condition that ∂M/∂y = ∂N/∂x had me
scratching my head initially, but with time, it began to make sense. I realized that this
condition ensures that the equation can be written as the total differential of some
function, and that was a game-changer.

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REFERENCES

Rainville, E. D., & Bedient, P. E. (1989). Elementary Differential Equations (7th ed.).
Rainville, E., Bedient, P., & Bedient , R. (n.d.). Elementary Differential Equations (8th ed.).
Zill, D. G. (n.d.). A First Course in Differential Equations with Modeling Applications
(10th ed.).

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