MATH 209: DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

LESSON 1.2
Separation of Variables
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to
a. recall the formulas of anti-differentiation; and
b. solve first-order differential equation by separation of variables.

Separation of Variables
We begin our study of the methods for solving first-order differential equations by studying an equation
of the form
𝑀 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑁 𝑑𝑦 = 0
where M and N may be functions of both x and y.
𝑑𝑦 2𝑦
Example 1: Solve the equation =
𝑑𝑥 𝑥

Example 2: Solve the equation (1 + 𝑦 2 )𝑑𝑥 + (1 + 𝑥 2 )𝑑𝑦 = 0 with initial condition that when x = 0, y = -1
Practice!!!
Directions: Obtain the general solution to the following differential equations. When there is an initial
condition, determine the particular solution.
1. (1 − 𝑥)𝑦 ′ = 𝑦 2
2. sin 𝑥 sin 𝑦 𝑑𝑥 + cos 𝑥 cos 𝑦 𝑑𝑦 = 0
2
3. 𝑥𝑦 3 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑑𝑦 = 0
4. 2𝑥𝑦𝑦 ′ = 1 + 𝑦 2 when x = 2, y = 3
5. 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑦(𝑥 − 1)𝑑𝑦 = 0 when x = 0, y = 1

Prepared by:

ROSTONE CRIS A. AALA

Subject Instructor