HISAR SCHOOLS

11th Grade AP® Calculus AB

53 Slope Field

The geometric solution to a differential equation is the graph of a function that satisfies the differential equation. If
𝑑𝑦
we have a differential equation in the form 𝑑𝑥
= 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦),

𝑑𝑦
At the point (x, y) , will give us the slope of the tangent line to the graph of the solution to the differential
𝑑𝑥
equation.

By plotting short segments we can create a slope field to represent the family of solutions to the differential
equations.
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
Example: If 𝑑𝑥 = 2𝑥 , fill in the chart for 𝑑𝑥 .

𝑑𝑦 1 𝑑𝑦
Example: : If 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑥 , fill in the chart for 𝑑𝑥 .
Tips for Reading Slope Fields:
1. Look for the places where slopes are 0.
2. Look at the slopes along the 𝑥-axis.
3. Look at the slopes along the 𝑦-axis.
4. Look to see if the slopes only depend on 𝑥.
5. Look to see if the slopes only depend on 𝑦.
6. Look to see where the slopes are positive and where they are negative.

Example: Draw a slope field for each of the following equations.

𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
1. 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑥 + 1 2. 𝑑𝑥 = 2𝑦

𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
3. =𝑥+𝑦 4. = 2𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑦
5. 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑦 − 1 6. 𝑑𝑥 = − 𝑥
Example: Match each slope field with the equation that the slope field could represent.

(A) (B)

(C) (D)

(E) (F)

(G) (H)
1
7. 𝑦 = 1 11. 𝑦 =
𝑥2

8. 𝑦 = 𝑥 12. 𝑦 = sin 𝑥

9. 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 13. 𝑦 = cos 𝑥

1
10. 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 14. 𝑦 = ln|𝑥|
6
Example: Match the slopefields with their differential equations.

(A) (B)

(C) (D)
𝑑𝑦 1 𝑑𝑦
1. = 𝑥+1 2. =𝑥−𝑦
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥

𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑥
3. 𝑑𝑥
=𝑦 4. 𝑑𝑥 = − 𝑦

𝑑𝑦 𝑥
Example: The slope field for the differential equation 𝑑𝑥
= − 𝑦 is shown in the figure below. Sketch the solution
curve through the point (−2, −2).
Example: ( 2004 Calculus AB)
Example: ( 2005 Calculus AB)
Example: ( 2006 Calculus AB)