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A LEVEL
H2 MATHEMATICS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
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MASTERY

CHAPTER
ANALYSIS EXAM

WEIGHTAGE
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Differential Equations - Definitions

Note
Differential Equations
by integrating twice

Differential Equation

Order & Degree

Integrate Differentiate

General Solution Contains arbitrary constant

Example Initial Conditions

3
𝑑4𝑦 𝑑𝑦
5𝑦 = −2
𝑑𝑥 4 𝑑𝑥 Satisfies initial conditions Particular Solution
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Practice

Guide To Solve Using Separation Of Variables

𝑑𝑦
For differential equations in the form: = 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔(𝑦)
𝑑𝑥
1 𝑑𝑦
Rearrange to be: =𝑓 𝑥
𝑔(𝑦) 𝑑𝑥

1 𝑑𝑦
Then integrate w.r.t. x: ‫׬‬ 𝑑𝑥 = ‫𝑥𝑑 )𝑥(𝑓 ׬‬
𝑔(𝑦) 𝑑𝑥

1
Final equation to integrate: ‫׬‬ 𝑑𝑦 = ‫𝑥𝑑 )𝑥(𝑓 ׬‬
𝑔(𝑦)
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Practice

Start with
implicitly
Guide To Solve Using Substitution differentiative
the given
substitution

1. Differentiate given substitution w.r.t. x - note: new variable is

NOT a constant, do IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION
𝑑𝑦
2. Replace in differential equation with expression obtained
𝑑𝑥
in (1) and 𝑦 terms by new variable
3. Solve new differential equation
4. Replace new variable into the general solution obtained

Separation of
Variables

,
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Common Contextual Scenarios

Scenario DE
𝑑𝑃
The rate of change of population is proportional to size of the population, 𝑃. = 𝑘𝑃
𝑑𝑡

The rate of cooling of a metal block is proportional to the difference in temperature between the 𝑑𝜃
block, 𝜃℃ and the environment, 25℃. = 𝑘(𝜃 − 25)
𝑑𝑡

The rate of growth of microalgae in a lake is proportional to the number of organisms, 𝑛 , 𝑑𝑥

present. Organisms are removed at a rate of 𝑦 organisms per second. = 𝑘𝑛 − 𝑦
𝑑𝑡

Other common scenarios: radioactive decay, movement of particles, volume of mixture

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