Separable

First-Order
Differential
Equations
Definition
 If the right-hand side of the equation

¶y
= f (x, y)
¶x
Can be expressed as a function g(x) that
depends only on x times a function p(y) that
depends only on y, then the differential
equation is called separable.

 In other words, a first-order equation is

separable if it can be written as

¶y
= g(x)p(y)
¶x
Example

 Is the equation

¶y 2x + xy
= 2
¶x y +1
separable?

 How about

¶y
= 1+ xy
¶x
Solving Separable Equations

 Example:

Solve the non-linear equation

¶y x - 5
= 2
¶x y
Examples

Solve x dx – y2 = 0
Solve y4y’ = x+1
Solve
x +1
y' =
y
Solutions w/ Logarithms

 Solve y’ = 5y
 Solve dy/dx = Ay
 Solve dy
= y(x - 2)
dx
 Solve
dy y +1
=
dx x
Transcendental Functions

 Solve dy
= y +1
2

dx
 Solve
dy
= y 2 + 2y + 2
dx
Particular Solution

 Solve for the DE

dy
= 2xy
dx

When y(1) = 2?
Exercises
Exercises