Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 2.

6 - Problem 29 Page 1 of 3

Problem 29
In each of Problems 25 through 31, find an integrating factor and solve the given equation.
ex + (ex cot y + 2y csc y)y 0 = 0

Solution

This ODE is not exact at the moment because

∂ x ∂ x
(e ) = 0 6= (e cot y + 2y csc y) = ex cot y.
∂y ∂x
To solve it, we seek an integrating factor µ = µ(x, y) such that when both sides are multiplied by
it, the ODE becomes exact.
ex µ + µ(ex cot y + 2y csc y)y 0 = 0
Since the ODE is exact now,
∂ x ∂
(e µ) = [µ(ex cot y + 2y csc y)].
∂y ∂x
Expand both sides.
∂µ ∂µ x
ex = (e cot y + 2y csc y) + µ(ex cot y)
∂y ∂x
Assume that µ is only dependent on y: µ = µ(y).
dµ
ex = µ(ex cot y)
dy
dµ
= µ(cot y)
dy
Solve this ODE by separating variables.
dµ
= cot y dy
µ
Integrate both sides.
ln µ = ln sin y + C
Exponentiate both sides.
µ = (sin y)eC
Taking eC to be 1, an integrating factor is
µ = sin y.
Multiply both sides of the original ODE by sin y.
ex sin y + (ex cos y + 2y)y 0 = 0
Because it’s exact, there exists a potential function ψ = ψ(x, y) that satisfies
∂ψ
= ex sin y (1)
∂x
∂ψ
= ex cos y + 2y. (2)
∂y

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Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 2.6 - Problem 29 Page 2 of 3

Integrate both sides of equation (1) partially with respect to x to get ψ.

ψ(x, y) = ex sin y + f (y)

Here f (y) is an arbitrary function of y. Differentiate both sides with respect to y.

ψy (x, y) = ex cos y + f 0 (y)

Comparing this to equation (2), we see that

f 0 (y) = 2y → f (y) = y 2 .

As a result, a potential function is

ψ(x, y) = ex sin y + y 2 .

Notice that by substituting equations (1) and (2), the ODE can be written as

∂ψ ∂ψ dy
+ = 0. (3)
∂x ∂y dx

Recall that the differential of ψ(x, y) is defined as

∂ψ ∂ψ
dψ = dx + dy.
∂x ∂y
Dividing both sides by dx, we obtain the fundamental relationship between the total derivative of
ψ and its partial derivatives.
dψ ∂ψ ∂ψ dy
= +
dx ∂x ∂y dx
With it, equation (3) becomes
dψ
= 0.
dx
Integrate both sides with respect to x.

ψ(x, y) = C1

Therefore,
ex sin y + y 2 = C1 .

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Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 2.6 - Problem 29 Page 3 of 3

This figure illustrates several solutions of the family. In red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and
purple are C1 = −10, C1 = −5, C1 = −1, C1 = 1, C1 = 5, and C1 = 10, respectively.

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