•2.6.

  Exact Equations
 In Section 2.3 it was noted that when a DE can be written in the form
 
the general solution can be obtained by integration; that is, by finding a function
whose differential is equation (1).
The foregoing idea can be extended to some equations of the form
 
In which separation of variables is not applicable. However, there may be a function
F(x, y) that has a total differential of Mdx + Ndy; that is,

 
 
• Then,
  the function
 
 Is the general solution of equation (2). For from equation (4) it follows that
 
 Therefore,
 
Now, to find out if equation (2) is the exact total differential of F (or an exact
equation), we know that
•Likewise,
  we can obtain the total differential of F by the method of partial
differentials,

 Therefore, it follows that

By differentiating M and N with respect to the other variable,

• Since
 

It follows that

Therefore, for equation (2) to be an exact equation, equation (7) must be satisfied.
The foregoing condition is given in the following theorem.
•Theorem
  3. If M, N, მM/მy, and მN/მx are continuous functions of x and y, then a
necessary and sufficient condition that

be an exact equation is that

Now, if equation (2) is an exact equation, the general solution of (2) may be
obtained either from
•Suppose
  we try to solve for F from M; that is,

So that,

That is, we integrate M with respect to x while holding y constant which will yield

Where B is the integral of M with respect to x and T(y) is the constant of

integration which is a function of y alone.
•Now
  to obtain T(y), we differentiate F with respect to y to obtain

But we know that

Therefore,
•And
 

Finally, from (4) and (8),

The function F can likewise be obtained from N, since

Therefore, it follows that

•which
  yields

Where A is the integral of N with respect to y and Q is the constant of integration

whish is a function of x alone.
To obtain Q(x), differentiate F = A + Q(x), with respect to x, so that

Equating with M = მF/მx will yield

•Example:
 
Find the general solution of the DE

Solution:
First determine if the given DE is an exact equation.

So that
• 

The given DE is exact, since

Now,

So that by integration,
• 
Solving for T(y),

Equating with

Integrating,
•Therefore,
  the general solution of the DE will be

The DE can also be evaluated starting with

Integrating with respect to y and holding x constant yields

•To  solve for Q(x), differentiate F = A(y) + Q(x) with respect to x, obtaining

Equating with

yields
• 
Therefore