9/23/2021

BASIC CONCEPTS AND IDEAS

Basic Concepts and Ideas:
Definition: An equation containing the derivatives or
differentials of one or more dependent variables, with respect
to one or more independent variables, is said to be a
differential equation.

Ex:
dy du dv
y'  cosx,  5 y  1, y  y  0 ,  x
dt dx dx
d2y dy
2
 2  6 y  0,
dx dx
y  6 y  3 y  x
Prepared by Dr. F.G.A
Sharjah University

1
 9/23/2021

BASIC CONCEPTS AND IDEAS

Ordinary differential equation: If an equation contains only
ordinary derivatives of one or more dependent variables, with
respect to single independent variable is said to be an
ordinary differential equation.
Ex:
dy du dv
 5 y  1,  x
dt dx dx
Partial differential equation: An equation involving the
partial derivatives of one or more dependent variables of two
or more independent variables is called a partial differential
equation.
Ex:
u  u 2
u u
2 2
 ,  0
t x 2 x 2 y 2
Prepared by Dr. F.G.A
(heat equation) (Laplace’s equation) Sharjah University

BASIC CONCEPTS AND IDEAS

Differential equations are classified according to type, order,
and linearity.

Classification by Order: The order of the highest-order

derivative in a differential equation is called the order of the
equation.

Ex:
3
d2y  dy  second-order ordinary
 5    4 y  e x
differential equation.
dx 2  dx 

 4u  2u forth-order partial
a2
 0
x 4 t 2 differential equation.
Prepared by Dr. F.G.A
Sharjah University

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 9/23/2021

BASIC CONCEPTS AND IDEAS

Thus first-order differential equations, contain only y’ and
may contain y and given functions of x. Hence it is written as

F  x, y , y   0

A general nth-order, ordinary differential equation is often

represented by the symbolism
 dy dny 
F  x, y , , , n 0
 dx dx 
Concept of Solution: A solution of a differential equations is
any function that satisfies the differential equations and can
be written in the form
y  f  x Prepared by Dr. F.G.A
Sharjah University

BASIC CONCEPTS AND IDEAS

Ex: Solve y  cos x
Sol:
y  f  x   sin x  c

Definition: A condition of the form y  x0   a where x0 is

some points on an interval I and a is a real number is
called initial condition (I.C.).

A differential equation together with initial condition (I.C.) is

called initial value problem.

The most general function that will satisfy the differential

equation contains one or more arbitrary constants is known
as the general solution of the differential equation.
Prepared by Dr. F.G.A
Sharjah University

3
 9/23/2021

BASIC CONCEPTS AND IDEAS

Ex: the previous example the solution is y  f  x   sin x  c
with arbitrary c. Figure 1 shows some of the solutions, for c =
-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4.

y(x0) = y0, y’(x0) = y1 , . . . , y(n-1)(x0) = yn-1 ,

where y0, y1 , . . . , yn-1 are arbitrary constants, is called an

initial-value problem. Prepared by Dr. F.G.A
Sharjah University