Homogeneous Equation

A differential equation is said to be a homogeneous differential equation if every term

given has the same degree raised to a certain exponent n.
It can be written as can be re-written as: M (x, y) dx + N (x, y) dy = 0 with these
following conditions:
(a) If M is simpler use in substitution: x = vy, dx = vdy + ydv
(b) If N is simpler use in substitution: y = vx, dy= vdx + xdv
(It is possible to use any of the substitution, but recommended to use the simpler
substitution to avoid arriving to another integral which are much harder to integrate
though it will arrived to the same answer)

Example 1:

4xdy = ( x + y ) dx

Solution
Notice that every term has the same degree

4 x 1dy = (x 1 + y 1) dx
Let y = vx
dy = xdv + vdx
4x (xdv + vdx) = (x + vx) dx

Simplify:
4x (xdv + vdx) = x(1 + v) dx
4xdv + 4vdx = dx + vdx

Notice that this two terms are similar

4xdv + 4vdx = dx + vdx

_____-_ vdx - vdx
4xdv + 3vdx = dx

4xdv = dx - 3vdx
4xdv = (1 – 3v) dx
Separate the variables:
4xdv = (1 – 3v) dx
4x (1-3v) 4x (1 – 3v)

1 dv = 1 dx
(1 – 3v) 4x
Integrate:

1 dv = 1 1 dx
(1 – 3v) 4 x

-ln (1 – 3v) = 1 lnx + C

ln (1 – 3v) -1 = lnx1/4 + lnC
ln 1 = ln 4√ x + lnC
1 – 3v
ln 1 = ln(C 4√ x )
1 – 3v

eln(1/(1-3v) = eln(C x^(1/4))

Substitution:
y = vx v=y
x
1 = (C 4√ x )
1–3y
x
Simplify:

(x) 1 = (C 4√ x )
(x) 1 – 3 y
x
(x – 3y) x = (C 4√ x ) (x – 3y)
(x – 3y)
(x)2 = ((C 4√ x ) (x – 3y))2

(x)2 = (C2 √ x ) (x – 3y)2

x x

x = (C2 √ x ) (x – 3y)2
x
Example 2:
dy = y2 – x2
dx yx

Solutions
All terms have similar degree.

dy = 1 y2 – x2
dx x2

1 yx
x2

dy = y 2 - 1
dx x (1)
y
x

Let v= y y = vx
x take the derivative with respect to x
d y = d (vx)
dx dx
dy = v + x d (2)
dx dx

Set the two eqautions (1) and (2) equal to each other

v + x dv = v2 – 1
dx v
(Separable DE)
v + x dv = v – 1
dx v
-v -v

x dv = 1
dx v

xdv = _ 1 dx
v

-vdv = 1
x
 Integrate:

(-v) dv = 1 dv
x

_ v 2 = ln x + C
2
(-2) _ v 2 = ln x + C (-2)
2
v2 = -2 (ln x + C)

Substitute:
v = y
x

(x2) y 2
= -2 (ln x + C ) (x2)
x

y2 = -2x2 (ln x + C )

Example 3:
ydx = (x + √ y2 – x2 ) dy

Solution
Let x = vy;
dx = vdy + ydv
y ( vdy + ydv) = ( vy + √y2 – v2y2 ) dy
vydy + y2dv = (vy + √y2 (1-v2) dy
cvydy + y2dv = vydy + y √ 1-v2 dy
y2dv = y √ 1-v2 dy
√ 1-v2 y2
dv = dy
√1 - v2 y
Integrate:

dv = dy
√1-v2 y
arcsin v = lny + lnC
arcsin v = lny + C
arcsin x = lny + ln C
y
PRACTICE PROBLEMS:

(a) xydx + ( x2 + y2 ) dy = 0

(b) 2(2x2 + y2 )dx – xydy = 0

(c) xydx – ( x2 + 3y2 ) dy = 0

(d) dy = y + x
dx y – x

(e) y (2x2 – xy + y2 )dx – x2(2x – y)dy = 0 , when x= 1 , y = 1

2