TOPIC 2

HOMOGENEOUS EQUATION
If f (x, y) = g( xy ), then equation

dy y
= g( ) (2)
dx x

Such an equation is called Homogeneous. It can be solved by reducing it

first to the variable separation type by making the substitution y = ux
where u = u(x) i.e
dy du
=u+x
dx dx
On substitution in (2) we obtain;

du
u+x = g(u)
dx

Separating the variables

x g(u) − u
=
dx du
dx du
⇒ =
x g(u) − u
And integrating gives

∫
du
ln x = +C
g(u) − u
SPECIAL FORMS OF HOMOGENEOUS EQUATION
Case 1

dy ax + by + C
=
dx a 1 x + b1 y + C 1
Where a/a1 ̸= b/b1 i.e the pair of straight lines ax + by + C = 0 and a1 x +
b1 y + C1 = 0 are intersecting. If (h, k) is the point of their intersection , then
shifting the origin to (h, k) is by setting;

1
 x = X + h, y =Y +k
The equation reduces to

dY dy aX + by + ah + bk + C
= =
dX dx a1 x + b1 y + a1 h + b1 k + c
By setting ah + bk + c = 0, a 1 h + b 1 k + c1 = 0
dy ax+by
we have, dx
= a1 x+b1 y

which is homogeneous and is solved by substituting y = ux

Example Case 1
dy x+y+4
Solve dx
= x−y−6

Solution
Put x = X + h, y =Y +k
dy X+Y +h+k+4
Therefore dx
= X−Y +h−K−6

Choosing h and k such that h + k + 4 = 0 and h − k − 6 = 0, gives

h = 1, K = 5
therefore
dy X +Y
=
dx X −Y
let y = uX

dy du
⇒ =u+X
dx dx
du X + uX
∴u+X =
dx X − uX
1+u du
⇒ =X
1−u dx
1 + u2
=
1−u
Separating the variable
1−U dx
2
du =
1+u x

2
 1 udu dx
2
du − 2
=
1+u 1+u x
1
tan−1 U − ln 1 + u2 = ln x + A
2
y y+5
Then replace u with x
= x+1
since x = X +h, y = Y +k and h = 1, K = 5.
Case 2
a b
If a1
= b1
= 1 (say) i.e the line ax + by + C = 0 and a1 xb1 y + C1 = 0 are
parallel then the equation can be written as

dy ax + by + c
=
dx d(ax + by) + c1

to solve the above equation, put

p = ax + by
dp dy
then dx
= a + b dx
Therefore dy
dx
dp
= 1b ( dx − a)
The given equation reduces to:

1 dp p+C
( − a) =
b dx dp + C1

dp (b − ad)p + bc − ac1
=
dx dp + c1
which can be solved by separation of variables.
Example case 2
dy x+y+4
Solve dx
= x−y−6

Solution
Put v = x + y
dv dy
then dx
=1+ dx

Therefore dy
dx
= dv
dx
−1= v+4
−v−6

3
 Giving
dv −2 2
= =
dx −v − 6 v+6
⇒ (v + 6)dv = 2dx

Integrating
v2
∴ + 6v = 2x + c
2
substitute for v = x + y, to get

(x + y)2
⇒ + 6(x + y) = 2x + c
2

Example case 2
dy 1
Solve dx
= x+y+1

Solution
du dy
Let u = x + y + 1 so that dx
=1+ dx

The given equation then becomes

du 1
−1=
dx u

or
du 1+u
=
dx u
udu
= dx
1+u
integrating
1
(1 − )du = dx
1+u
gives
u − ln |1 + u| = x + c

x + y + 1 − ln |x + y + 2| = x + c

y + 1 − ln |x + y + 2| = c

4
or x + y + 2 = c1 ey , where we have replaced e1−c by c1 .
Assignment 2
For dy
dx
= y ′ = f ( xy )
Solve

y2
dy
(a) x dx = x
+ y, (x ̸= 0)

dy
(b) dx
= (2 + xy )2

(c) x − y dx
dy
= a(x2 + dx
dy
)

dy ax+by+C
For dx
= a1 x+b1 y+C1

Solve

dy y−3
(i) dx
= x+y−1
[ ]2
dy x−y+1
(ii) dx
= 2x−2y

dy x−y+6
(iii) dx
= 3x−3y+4