Porisma

Worked solution

Solve a homogeneous first-order differential equation

Use u=y/xu=y/x to show that dydx=y2+xy+x2x2\dfrac{dy}{dx}=\dfrac{y^2+xy+x^2}{x^2}, x>0x>0, reduces to 1u2+1dudx=1x\dfrac1{u^2+1}\dfrac{du}{dx}=\dfrac1x. Hence find yy in terms of xx.

[2017/NJC/I/10(a)]

CJC · Discussion · Question 4

Answer

y=xtan⁡(ln⁡x+c)y=x\tan(\ln x+c) on an interval with x>0x>0 avoiding tangent poles.

Substitute y = ux and cancel the common term

y′=xu′+uy^\prime=xu^\prime+u, while the right-hand side is u2+u+1u^2+u+1. Hence xu′=u2+1xu^\prime=u^2+1, so (u2+1)−1u′=1/x(u^2+1)^{-1}u^\prime=1/x.

How did this part go?

Integrate and undo the substitution

∫du/(1+u2)=∫dx/x\int du/(1+u^2)=\int dx/x gives tan⁡−1u=ln⁡x+c\tan^{-1}u=\ln x+c on a suitable branch. Thus u=tan⁡(ln⁡x+c)u=\tan(\ln x+c) and y=xtan⁡(ln⁡x+c)y=x\tan(\ln x+c). A solution is taken on an interval with x>0x>0 avoiding the poles where ln⁡x+c=π/2+nπ\ln x+c=\pi/2+n\pi, n∈Zn\in\mathbb Z.

How did this part go?

Common mistakes

The product rule contributes the extra u term.

Read the hint