2.

4c Substitution Suggested by the Equation

This method of solving de is under substitution method. A natural source of suggestions for useful
transformations is the equation itself.

Transformations 𝑣 = 𝑎𝑦 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑘

Sometimes a transformation 𝑣 = 𝑎𝑦 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑘 may lead to a separable differential equation.

Example 1. Solve the equation
(𝑥 + 2𝑦 − 1) 𝑑𝑥 + 3(𝑥 + 2𝑦) 𝑑𝑦 = 0 . (1)
Solution. We can observe two important conditions.
• the combination (𝑥 + 2𝑦) occurs twice and thus attracts attention. Hence, we put
𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 𝑣
• no other function of x and y stands out. Hence, we retain either x or y for the other variable.
As suggested above, let
𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 𝑣 .
We will try to solve it by transforming the de to v and y variables.
𝑥 = 𝑣 − 2𝑦
Take the differential to get the expression for 𝑑𝑥.
𝑑𝑥 = 𝑑𝑣 − 2 𝑑𝑦
Substitute these in (1) to transform it in v and y variables,
(𝑣 − 1)(𝑑𝑣 − 2𝑑𝑦) + 3𝑣 𝑑𝑦 = 0,
(𝑣 − 1) 𝑑𝑣 + (𝑣 + 2) 𝑑𝑦 = 0.
This is now a separable differential equation. Separate the variables.
𝑣−1
𝑑𝑣 + 𝑑𝑦 = 0,
𝑣+2
3
(1 − ) 𝑑𝑣 + 𝑑𝑦 = 0
𝑣+2
By integration
𝑣 − 3 ln|𝑣 + 2| + 𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0.
Substitute 𝑣 = 𝑥 + 2𝑦. So, our final result is
𝒙 + 𝟑𝒚 + 𝒄 = 𝟑 𝐥𝐧|𝒙 + 𝟐𝒚 + 𝟐|.

Example 2. Solve the de

(2𝑥 − 4𝑦 + 5)𝑦 ′ + 𝑥 − 2𝑦 + 3 = 0
Solution. The terms 2𝑥 − 4𝑦 and 𝑥 − 2𝑦 suggest that we try
𝑣 = 𝑥 − 2𝑦.
We will try to solve it by transforming the de to v and x variables. Writing it in the form
2𝑦 = 𝑥 − 𝑣
Differentiating with respect to 𝑥 to get the expression for 𝑦′.
′
1 − 𝑣′ 𝑑𝑣
𝑦 = , 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑣 ′ =
2 𝑑𝑥
By substitution, the given de becomes
1 − 𝑣′
(2𝑣 + 5) ( )+𝑣+3 = 0
2
1 − 𝑣′
(2𝑣 + 5) ( ) = −𝑣 − 3
2
(2𝑣 + 5)(1 − 𝑣 ′ ) = −2𝑣 − 6
 (2𝑣 + 5)(1 − 𝑣 ′ ) = −2𝑣 − 6
(2𝑣 + 5) − (2𝑣 + 5)𝑣′ = −2𝑣 − 6
−(2𝑣 + 5)𝑣 ′ = (−2𝑣 − 6) − (2𝑣 + 5)
−(2𝑣 + 5)𝑣 ′ = −4𝑣 − 11
(2𝑣 + 5)𝑣 ′ = 4𝑣 + 11
𝑑𝑣
(2𝑣 + 5) = 4𝑣 + 11
𝑑𝑥
Multiplying by 2 and separating variables, we obtain
4𝑣 + 10
𝑑𝑣 = 2 𝑑𝑥
4𝑣 + 11
4𝑣 + 11 − 1
𝑑𝑣 = 2 𝑑𝑥
4𝑣 + 11
1
(1 − )𝑑𝑣 = 2 𝑑𝑥
4𝑣 + 11
By integration,
1
𝑣 − ln|4𝑣 + 11| = 2𝑥 + 𝑐 ∗
4
Since 𝑣 = 𝑥 − 2𝑦, this implicit general solution of the given equation may be written
1
(𝑥 − 2𝑦) − ln|4(𝑥 − 2𝑦) + 11| = 2𝑥 + 𝑐 ∗
4
4(𝑥 − 2𝑦) − ln|4(𝑥 − 2𝑦) + 11| = 8𝑥 + 4𝑐 ∗
−4𝑥 − 8𝑦 − ln|4(𝑥 − 2𝑦) + 11| = 4𝑐 ∗
4𝑥 + 8𝑦 + ln|4𝑥 − 8𝑦 + 11| = −4𝑐 ∗
𝟒𝒙 + 𝟖𝒚 + 𝐥𝐧|𝟒𝒙 − 𝟖𝒚 + 𝟏𝟏| = 𝒄

Transformations with Trigonometric Function and Its Differential

Example 3
Solve the equation
(1 + 3xsin y)dx − x 2 cos y dy = 0. (2)
Solution. We can observe two important conditions.
• The presence of both sin 𝑦 and its differential cos 𝑦 𝑑𝑦
• 𝑦 appears in no other manner
Hence, we put sin 𝑦 = 𝑤, and cos 𝑦 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑑𝑤. By substitution in Equation 2, the de will be transformed
to variables 𝐰 and 𝐱,
(1 + 3xw) dx − x 2 dw = 0.
This is a first-order ODE in dependent variable 𝐰, in short, linear in w. The standard form is
dw 3 1
− w= 2 .
dx x x
The integrating factor is
e−3 ln |x| = |x|−3 .
For either x > 0 or x < 0, the absolute value sign can be omitted. The general solution of the linear
equation is
x −3 1
w = x 3 ∫ 2 dx + cx 3 = x 3 ∫ x −5 dx + cx 3 = − + cx 3
x 4x
To get the general solution of the original de (2), substitute w = sin y in the above equation
1
sin y = − + cx 3 ,
4x
or
𝟒𝐱 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐲 = 𝐜𝐱 𝟒 − 𝟏