Separation of Variables

Katrina E. Belleza
kebelleza@usc.edu.ph

Belleza, Katrina E. (USC) Separation of Variables 1/7

The first order differential equations we shall be dealing with in this lesson is of the
form
M (x, y)dx + N (x, y)dy = 0 (1)
where M and N may be functions of both x and y.
Examples of such equations as (1) are:
dy
1) = 2xy + ex
x
2) y 0 = log x + y
3) (x − 2y)dx + (x + 2y + 1)dy = 0

Definition
If it is possible to rewrite (1) in the form

f (x)dx + g(y)dy = 0, (2)

then the variables are called separable.

A 1-parameter family of solutions of (2) is then

Z Z
f (x)dx + g(y)dy = C (3)

where C is an arbitrary constant.

Belleza, Katrina E. (USC) Separation of Variables 2/7
Example 1. Find a 1-parameter family of solutions of

2xdx − 9y 2 dy = 0.

Solution: Clearly, the variables are separated in this example. Similarly from (3), we
have the 1-parameter family of solutions as

x2 − 3y 3 = C.

Example 2. Solve the equation

dy 2y
= .
dx x
Solution: Express the equation as
dy 2dx
=
y x
and integrate both sides to get

ln |y| = 2ln |x| + C

eln y = e2ln x+C for x > 0 and y > 0
2ln x C
y=e e for x > 0 and y > 0
2
y = Cx for x > 0 and y > 0

is the general solution of the equation.

Belleza, Katrina E. (USC) Separation of Variables 3/7
Example 3. Find the particular solution for which y(2) = 1 of the equation
xy 2 dx + (1 − x)dy = 0.
Solution: We solve first the general solution by expressing this as
x dy
dx + 2 = 0.
1−x y
Separate f (x) in two terms in which we get
1
dx − dx + y −2 dy = 0.
1−x
Then integrate the equation to get the general solution
1
−ln |1 − x| − x − = C
y
1
ln |1 − x| + x + = C
y
To solve for the particular solution for which y(2) = 1, we have
ln | − 1| + 2 + 1 = C
3 = C.
Therefore, the particular solution for the equation is
1
ln |1 − x| + x + = 3.
y
Belleza, Katrina E. (USC) Separation of Variables 4/7
Example 4. Find the particular solution for which θ = 0 and r = a of the equation
(2a2 − r2 )dr = r3 sin θdθ.
Solution: First, we find the general solution by separating the variables. The above
equation is now equivalent to
2a2 dr
dr − = sin θdθ.
r3 r
Integrating both sides, we get the general solution
−a2
− ln |r| = −cos θ + C
r2
a2
+ ln |r| = cos θ + C.
r2
To solve for the particular solution for which θ = 0 and r = a, we have
a2
+ ln |a| = cos 0 + C
a2
1 + ln |a| = 1 + C
ln |a| = C.
Therefore, the particular solution for the equation is
 
r
a2 + r2 ln   = r2 cos θ.
a
Belleza, Katrina E. (USC) Separation of Variables 5/7
Example 5. Solve the equation
x2 yy 0 = ey .
dy
Solution: Write y 0 as and separate the variables so that the equation above is
dx
now equivalent to
y 1
dy = 2 dx.
ey x
Note that when integrating both sides of the equation, the left side uses the concept
of integration by parts. Hence using this method, we have the general solution
Z
y 1 1
− y − − y dy = − + C
e e x
Z
y 1 1
− y + =− +C
e ey x
y 1 1
− y − y =− +C
e e x
y 1 1
+ y = +C
ey e x
1 1
(y + 1) − = C
ey x
x(y + 1) − ey = Cxey .
Hence, the general solution for the given DE is
x(y + 1) − ey = Cxey .
Belleza, Katrina E. (USC) Separation of Variables 6/7
 STOP! ANSWER ASSIGN 5 IN CANVAS MODULE 2

Belleza, Katrina E. (USC) Separation of Variables 7/7