IDENTIFYING SEPARABLE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

A differential equation (DE) is an equation that involves x, y and the derivatives of y.

The following are examples of differential equations:
dy dy −x
(a) = 2x + 5 (b) = (c) y” + y = 0
dx dx y

The order of a differential equation pertains to the highest order of the derivative
that appears in the differential equation. The first two examples above are first-order
DEs because they involve only the first derivative, while the last example is a second-
order DE because y’’ appears in the equation. A solution to a differential equation is a
function y = f(x) or a relation f(x, y)=0 that satisfies the equation.

Example: Determine if the given differential equation is separable or not, if it is

separable, rewrite the equation in the form g ( y ) dy=f ( x ) dx .
dy 2 2
1. =y x
dx
dy dx 2 2 dx
∙ =y x ∙ 2
dx y 2 y
dy 2
2
=x dx
y
Since each side of the equation involves only one variable, then it is separable
differential equation.
dy sin x
2. =
dx cos y
dy
∙¿
dx
cos y dy =sinx dx
Since each side of the equation involves only one variable, then it is separable
differential equation.
dy 2
3. =12 x −4 y +2
dx
This is none separable differential equation since it cannot be expressed into
g ( y ) dy=f ( x ) dx .
 SOLVING FOR THE GENERAL SOLUTION OF THE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION
We take for instance the equation:
dy 2
=x
dx
2
dy =x dx
Then we can integrate both sides, taking extra caution with the constants of integration.

∫ dy=∫ x 2 dx
3
x
y +C 1= +C2
3
3
x
y= +(C 2−C1 )
3
Lastly, we let C=C 2−C1 . Hence,
3
x
y= +C ,C ∈ R .
3

This solution to the differential equation is called the general solution. It is general in
the sense that it represents a family of solutions to the given differential equation.
Example 1: Solve for the General Solution of the differential equation 2 ydx−3 xdy=0 .
Solution: 2 ydx=3 xdy
2 3
dx= dy
x y
2 3
∫ x dx=∫ y dy
2 ln |x|=3 ln| y|+C
2 3
ln |x| −C=ln | y| +C
2
3
| y| =e−C e ln|x|
3 2
| y| =e−C| x|  general solution

Example 2: Find the General solution of the differential equation.

2

x y3 dx +e x dy=0
2
Solution: −x y 3 dx=e x dy
−x 1 2

−x e dx= 3 dy
y
−∫ x e dx=∫ y−3 dy
2
−x

−du
Meanwhile, if u=−x 2, then du=−2 xdx so that =xdx . Hence,
2
1 1 u 1 −x
−∫ x e ∫
−x 2 u 2

dx= e du= e +C= e + C .

2 2 2
−∫ x e dx=∫ y dy
2
−x −3

−2
1 −x − y
2

e = +C  general solution
2 2
Example 3: Find the General solution of the differential equation
dy 2 2
=y x
dx
dy 2
Solution: 2
=x dx
y

∫ y −2 dy =∫ x2 dx
3
1 x
2
+C 1= +C2
y 3
3 3
−1 x General Solution: −1 x
= +(C ¿ ¿ 2−C 1)¿ = +C
y 3 y 3

SOLVING FOR THE PARTICULAR SOLUTION OF THE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION

dy 2
We take the previous equation: =x
dx
2
dy =x dx

∫ dy=∫ x 2 dx
3
x
y +C 1= +C2
3
3
x
y= +(C 2−C1 )
3
3
x
General Solution: y= +C ,C ∈ R .
3

If we replace C by a specific real umber, the resulting function is called a particular

solution. Thus in the previous example, we can let C=1 and say that the function
3
x dy 2
y= +1 is a particular solution to =x . Particular solutions arise when certain
3 dx
conditions are imposed on DE.

Therefore, the Particular solution to the given intial-values where y=1 and x=2 is:
3
−1 x −11
= +
y 3 3
Example 1. Find the Particular solution of the differential equation.
dy sin x π
= , where y=0 and x= .
dx cos y 2
dy sin x
Solution: =
dx cos y
cos y dy =sin x dx

∫ cos y dy=∫ sin x dx

sin y +C 1=−cos x +C 2

General Solution: sin y=−cos x+ C

π
Then substitute the initial-values: y=0 and x=
2
π
sin 0=−cos +C
2
C=0
π
Therefore, the Particular solution to the given intial-values where y=0 and x= is:
2
sin y=−cos x