Differential Equations

Arbitrary Constant
and Family of Curves
MPS Department | FEU Institute of Technology
 Differential Equations

Elimination of
Arbitrary Constant
MPS Department | FEU Institute of Technology
 Objectives

• Eliminate arbitrary constants using derivatives

Consider the simple linear first order equation:
′ 𝟏
𝒚 = 𝟐 [2.1]
𝒙
We know from Calculus that y satisfies this equation if
and only if
𝟏
𝒚=− +𝒄 [2.2]
𝒙

Here, c is the arbitrary constant such that for each real

number c, the function defined by 2.2 is a solution of 2.1.
Moreover, 2.2 is a general solution of 2.1.
Given a function similar to 2.2, we can get the linear DE
by taking the derivatives.

Example 1: Eliminate the arbitrary constant of 𝒚 = 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒄.

Differentiating with respect to x, we get

𝒅𝒚
= 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟎
𝒅𝒙
Recall that the derivative of a constant is 0. The DE of
𝒅𝒚
the function given is = 𝟐𝒙.
𝒅𝒙
1. Write down the given equation, F(x, y, c)
2. Differentiate the given equation with respect to
independent variable x as many times as the number
of arbitrary constant.
3. Eliminate the arbitrary constants from the given
equation and the equations obtained by
differentiation.
Example 2: Eliminate the arbitrary constant of
𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 [1]

Differentiate with respect to x.

𝒚′ = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒙 − 𝟐𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 [2]

Elimination of c1 and c2 is not possible at this point. Differentiate again.

′
𝒚′ = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒙 + 𝟒𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 [3]

From [1], 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒙 = 𝒚 − 𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 [4]

Eliminate c1 by substituting [4] to [2] and [3]:

𝒚′ = 𝒚 − 𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 − 𝟐𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 simplify to 𝒚′ = 𝒚 − 𝟑𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 [5]
′ ′
𝒚′ = 𝒚 − 𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 + 𝟒𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 simplify to 𝒚′ = 𝒚 + 3𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 [6]

Eliminate c2 by adding [5] and [6]:

𝒚′ + 𝒚′′ = 𝟐𝒚
 Differential Equations

Family of Curves
MPS Department | FEU Institute of Technology
 Objectives

• Understand the solutions of the families of curves by recalling formulas of curves in Analytic
Geometry
Consider the simple linear first order equation:
′ 𝟏
𝒚 = 𝟐 [2.1]
𝒙
We know from Calculus that y satisfies this equation if and only if
𝟏
𝒚=− +𝒄 [2.2]
𝒙

Here, c is the arbitrary constant such that for each real number c, the
function defined by 2.2 is a solution of 2.1. Moreover, 2.2 is a general
solution of 2.1.

Equation 2.2 is also called as the equation of the FAMILY OF CURVES.

Example 1: Obtain the DE of the family of curves which are ALL
CIRCLES OF UNIT RADIUS.

Recall the equation of the circle with center at (a,b0 and radius r:
𝒙 − 𝒂 𝟐 + 𝒚 − 𝒃 𝟐 = 𝒓𝟐
Equation of curves: 𝒙 − 𝒂 𝟐 + 𝒚 − 𝒃 𝟐 = 𝟏𝟐 [1]

Differentiating with respect to x:

𝟐 𝒙 − 𝒂 + 𝟐 𝒚 − 𝒃 𝒚′ = 𝟎 [2]

Differentiating again:
𝟏 + 𝒚 − 𝒃 𝒚′′ + (𝒚′ )𝟐 = 𝟎 [3]

Manipulating [3]:
−(𝟏+𝒚′𝟐 )
𝒚−𝒃 = [4]
𝒚′′
Example 1: Obtain the DE of the family of curves which are ALL
CIRCLES OF UNIT RADIUS.

Substituting [4] in [2]:

𝟏+𝒚′𝟐
𝒙−𝒂=− 𝒚−𝒃 𝒚′ = 𝒚′ [5]
𝒚′′
Substituting [4] and [5] in [1]:
𝟐
𝟏+𝒚′𝟐 𝟏+𝒚′𝟐
(𝒙 − 𝒂)𝟐 +(𝒚 − 𝒃)𝟐 = 𝒚′ + =𝟏 [6]
𝒚′′ 𝒚′′
′𝟐 𝟐
𝟏+𝒚 𝒚𝟐 + 𝟏 = 𝒚′′𝟐

Thus, the required DE is

(𝟏 + 𝒚′𝟐 )𝟑 = 𝒚′′𝟐
Example 1: Obtain the DE of the family of curves for parabolas with foci
at the origin and axes along the x-axis.

The equation is:

𝒚𝟐 = 𝟒𝒂𝒙 + 𝟒𝒂𝟐 [1]

Differentiating with respect to x

𝟐𝒚𝒚′ = 𝟒𝒂 [2]

Substituting a from [2] in [1]:

𝟐
𝒚𝒚′
𝒚𝟐 = 𝟐𝒚𝒚′ 𝒙 + 𝟒 [3]
𝟐

Thus, the required DE is

𝟐𝒙𝒚′ + 𝒚(𝒚′ )𝟐 −𝒚 = 𝟎
William E. Boyce, Richard C. Di Prima, Elementary
Differential Equations , Willey 2012

Romel, Marquez, Basic Concepts and Definition in DE