1.

3 Direction Fields

dy
When the first-order DE is written in the form = f (x, y), it provides the slope of the
dx
solution at any point (x, y). For every point (x0 , y0 ) in the domain of f , we can draw a
short line segment whose slope is the value f (x0 , y0 ). The graph of all these line segments
is called the direction field of the DE. The direction field suggests the appearance of a
family of solution curves of the DE making it possible to visualize aspects of the solution.

dy
(ex.) The direction field for = 1.
dx

Direction field for dy/dx=1

2

1.5

0.5
y(x)

0
0
-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2
-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
x

• A single solution curve that passes through a point in the direction field must follow
the flow pattern of the field.

• The direction field of DE describes the “flow” of solution curves and allows us to
determine asymptotic behavior, that is lim y(x).
x→±∞

1
(ex.) Below is the direction field of the first-order DE

dy
= x + y.
dx

(1). Sketch the solution curve that passes through (-1, 1).

(2). What can you say about the solution in part (1) as x → ∞?

Direction field for dy/dx=x+y

4

2
y(x)

0
0

-1

-2
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
x

2
Hand sketching a direction field is easiest when the first-order DE has the form

dy
= f (y),
dx

because the right-hand side depends only on y. This means that along any horizontal
line the slopes are the same. DEs of this type are called autonomous. If we know one
solution to an autonomous DE, we can obtain infinitely many others just by shifting the
graph of the known solution to the right or left.

(ex.) From a sketch of the direction field, what can one say about the behavior as x → ∞
of a solution to the first-order DE
dy
= −y.
dx

Direction field for dy/dx=-y

7

4
y(x)

0
0
-1
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
x

3
(ex.) The logistic equation for the population p (in thousands) for a certain species at
time t is given by
dp
= p(p − 1)(2 − p).
dt

After sketching the direction field, answer the following questions:

a. If the initial population is 3000, what can you say about lim p(t)?
t→∞

b. If p(0) = 1.2, what is lim p(t)?

t→∞

c. If p(0) = 0.8, what is lim p(t)?

t→∞

d. Can a population of 800 ever increase to 1100?

Direction field for dp/dt=p(p-1)(2-p)

4

3.5

2.5
p(t)

1.5

0.5

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
t

4
An isocline is a set of points in a direction field where all solutions have the same slope.
The Method of Isoclines can help us to hand sketch the direction field.

dy
(ex.) Sketch the direction field for = x − y by using the method of isoclines.
dx

1.5

0.5

0
y

-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2
-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
x

(HW) Textbook 1.3 Exercises: 1, 3, 11, 13.