SOLUTIONS OF FIRST

ORDER, FIRST DEGREE

DIFFERENTIAL
EQUATIONS
SUMMARY OF STEPS TO FOLLOW WITH EXERCISE QUESTIONS TO BE SOLVED

VARIABLE SEPARABLE
HOMOGENEOUS
EXACT
EQUATIONS WITH SEPARABLE
VARIABLES
 Condition:

𝑀 ( 𝑥 , 𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑥+ 𝑁 ( 𝑥 , 𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦=0

𝐴 ( 𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥+ 𝐵 ( 𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦 =0
MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 2
EQUATIONS WITH SEPARABLE
VARIABLES
 Steps:

1. Rearrange the terms to get the form: 𝐵 ( 𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦 = 𝐴 ( 𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥

2. Isolate the “y” function with its derivative on one side.
3. Isolate the “x” function with its derivative on the other side.
4. Integrate both sides.
5. Solve for “y”.

MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 3

EQUATIONS WITH SEPARABLE
VARIABLES
 Find the solution of the following differential equations.

1. ; when ,
2. ; when ,
3.
4.

MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 4

EQUATIONS WITH
HOMOGENEOUS
COEFFICIENTS
 A function f(x,y) is homogeneous of degree k in x and y if, and only if:

𝒇 (  𝒙 ,  𝒚 ) =𝒌 𝒇 (𝒙 , 𝒚 )

 Examples:

MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 5

EQUATIONS WITH
HOMOGENEOUS
COEFFICIENTS
 A differential equation of order one with the form:

If and are both:

1. Homogeneous
2. Have the same degree

MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 6

EQUATIONS WITH
HOMOGENEOUS
COEFFICIENTS
 A differential equation with homogeneous coefficients of the form:

Can be solved by setting

and OR
and
then solving the resulting equation as an equation with separable variables.

MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 7

EQUATIONS WITH
HOMOGENEOUS
COEFFICIENTS
 A differential equation with homogeneous coefficients of the form:

Steps:
1. Check if homogeneous.
2. Set either y=vx or x=vy.
3. Solve for dy or dx from the chosen substitution above.
4. Resulting equation should now be separable.
5. Solve using Variable Separable.
MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 8
EQUATIONS WITH
HOMOGENEOUS
COEFFICIENTS
 Solve the following differential equations.

MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 9

EXACT EQUATIONS
 A differential equation of the form is exact if:

 Therefore, the solution F(x,y) = C of the differential equation can be found by setting

MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 10

EXACT EQUATIONS
 A differential equation of the form can be solved:
 Steps:

1. Check for Exactness.

2. Solve either Fx or Fy.
3. Integrate the chosen function to obtain f(x,y).
4. Differentiate #3 with respect to the unchosen variable.
5. Equate #4 to M or N (depends on your choice in #2).
6. Solve for the unchosen variable function.
7. Substitute #6 back to f(x,y) = C

MATH 208 Differential Equations - University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering 11

EXACT EQUATIONS
 Solve the following differential equations.

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REFERENCES
 Reyes, F.G. and Chua, J.L. (1992). Elements of calculus and analytic geometry. Manila,
Philippines: UST Publishing House
 Rainville, E.D., Bedient, P.E., & Bedient, R.E. (2002). Elementary differential equations.
Singapore: Pearson Education Asia Pte Ltd

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