Examples of Differential Equations

The construction of mathematical models to approximate real-world problems has been one
of the most important aspects of the theoretical development of each of the branches of
science. Differential equations are mathematical models that involves equation in which a
function and its derivatives play important roles. The following are examples of differential
equations:

= sinxcosx ( ordinary )

3 - 4 + 2 = 0 ( ordinary )

= ℎ ( + ) ( partial )

When an equation involves one or more derivatives with respect to a particular variable, that
variable is called an independent variable. A variable is called dependent if a derivative of that
variable occurs. In the equation:

L + R + i = Ecos2t

i is the dependent variable, t is the independent variable and L, R, C and E are called
parameters.
The order of a differential equation is the order of the highest-ordered derivative appearing
in the equation. While the degree of the differential equation is the degree of the highest-
ordered derivative appearing in the equation. For example, an equation:

3a ( ) - 2b ( ) + 4c = 0

is called a third-order, second degree ordinary differential equation.

 A very important concept in the study of differential equations is that of linearity. An
ordinary differential equation of order n is called linear if it maybe written in the form:

b0(x) + b1(x) + …………………………….. + bn-1(x) + bn(x)y = R(x)

For example, the equation : x3y” - 3xy’ + ( lnx )y = 5x4 is linear in y.

Elimination of Arbitrary Constants

Methods for the elimination of arbitrary constants vary with the way in which the constants
enter the given relation. A method that is efficient for one problem maybe poor for another.
The number of derivatives that need to be used is the same as the number of arbitrary
constants to be eliminated. We shall in each case determine the differential equation that is of
order equal to the number of arbitrary constants in the given relations, consistent with the
relation and free from arbitrary constants.

Sample Problems: Eliminate the arbitrary constants from the following equations:
1) x3 - 3x2y = C
Solution: Since the equation contains only one arbitrary constant, we will differentiate the
equation only once with respect to x and then eliminate the constant.
3x2 - 3 ( x2y’ + 2xy ) = 0 ( notice that arbitrary constant has been eliminated)
Re-arranging the equation, we have : 3x2 ( 1 - y’ ) - 6xy = 0 ; divide each term by 3x
Therefore: x ( 1 - y’ ) - 2y = 0

2) y = Asin2x + Bcos2x (1)

Solution: Differentiate the equation two times with respect to x ( two arbitrary constants ).
y’ = 2Acos2x - 2Bsin2x (2)
y” = -4Asin2x - 4Bcos2x (3)
Notice that if we will multiply equation ( 1 ) by 4 and add to equation ( 3 ), arbitrary
constants A and B are eliminated thus we will have:
( 4y = 4Asin2x + 4Bcos2x ) + ( y’’ = -4Asin2x - 4Bcos2x )
y” + 4y = 0
 3) y = C1 e-x + C2 e2x (1)
Solution: Two arbitrary constants C1 and C2 needs to be eliminated, we will derive the
equations two times with respect to x.
y’ = -C1e-x + 2C2e2x (2)
y” = C1e-x + 4C2e2x (3)
Then, let’s add equation 1 and 2, we will obtain:
y’ + y = 3C2e2x (4)
Similarly, add equation 2 and 3, we will obtain:
y” + y’ = 6C2e2x (5)
Notice that equation 4 and 5 only contain the arbitrary constant C2, to eliminate let us multiply
equation 4 by ( -2 ) and then add to equation 5. Therefore:
-2y’ - 2y = -6C2e2x
+ y” + y’ = 6C2e2x

Resulting to: y” - y’ - 2y = 0

4) y = C1 e-x cosx + C2 e-x sinx (1)

Solution: Derive two times with respect to x, since there are two arbitrary constants C1 and C2.
y’ = C1 ( -e-xcosx - e-xsinx ) + C2 ( -e-xsinx + e-xcosx )
y’ = - ( C1e-xcosx + C2e-xsinx ) - C1e-xsinx + C2e-xcosx = - y – C1e-xsinx + C2e-xcosx
y’ + y = -C1e-xsin x + C2e-xcosx (2)
y” + y’ = -C1 ( -e-xsinx + e-xcosx ) + C2 ( -e-xcosx - e-xsin x )
y” + y’ = - ( -C1e-xsinx + C2e-xcosx ) - ( C1e-xcosx + C2e-xsinx )
y” + y’ = - ( y’ + y ) - y ( constants eliminated )
Re-arranging will yields to:
y” + 2y’ + 2y = 0
 5) y = Ax2 + Bcos2x - Csin2x (1)
Solution: Differentiate the equation three times with respect to x ( 3 arbitrary constants ).
y’ = 2Ax - 2Bsin2x - 2Ccos2x (2)
y” = 2A - 4Bcos2x + 4Csin2x (3)
y”’ = 8Bsin2x + 8Ccos2x (4)
Multiply equation 1 by 4 then add to equation 3 will result to:
( 4y = 4Ax2 + 4Bcos2x - 4Csin2x ) + ( y” = 2A – 4Bcos2x + 4Csin2x )
y” + 4y = 4Ax2 + 2A (5)
Multiply equation 2 by 4 then add to equation 4 will result to:
( 4y’ = 8Ax - 8Bsin2x - 8Ccos2x ) + ( y”’ = 8Bsin2x + 8Ccos2x )
y”’ + 4y’ = 8Ax (6)
Notice that equation 5 and 6 only contain the arbitrary constant A, by substitution in which

A = from equation 6, then substitute its value in equation 5 will yields to:

y” + 4y = A ( 4x2 + 2 ) = ( 4x2 + 2 )

8xy” + 32xy = 4x2y”’ + 16x2y’ + 2y”’ + 8y’

Re-arranging will result to:
y”’ ( 4x2 + 2 ) - 8xy” + 8y’ ( 2x2 + 1 ) - 32xy = 0
y”’ ( 2x2 + 1 ) - 4xy” + 4y’ ( 2x2 + 1 ) - 16xy = 0

Exercise 1: Eliminate the arbitrary constant/s:

1) 2x3y + xy2 = 4C

2) y = x2 + C1 e-2x - C2 ex

3) y = Ax3 + Bxe-2x

4) y = C1eax cosbx + C2eax sinbx a and b are parameters ( fixed )

5) y = 2C1e-2x - 4C2ex + 2C3e-3x

Verifying Solutions
Example:
Determine whether the given function a) y = sinx b) y = 4e-x and c) y = Cex
is a solution of the differential equation y” - y = 0.
Solution:
a) y = sinx ; y’ = cosx ; y” = -sinx it follows that:
( -sinx ) - ( sinx ) = 0 ; -2sinx ≠ 0, thus it is not a solution.

b) y = 4e-x ; y’ = -4e-x ; y” = 4e-x it follows that:

( 4e-x ) - ( 4e-x ) = 0 thereby it is a solution.

c) y = Cex ; y’ = Cex and y” = Cex it follows that:

x x
( Ce ) - ( Ce ) = 0 is a solution for any value of C.

Exercise 2:

Verify the following function if it is a solution of the given differential equation:

1) y = Ce4x for y’ = 4y

2) y = e-2x for 3y’ + 5y = -e-2x

3) x2 + y2 = Cy for y’ = 2xy/( x2 - y2 )

4) y2 - 2lny = x2 for =
 Finding a Particular Solution
Example:

For the differential equation xy’ - 3y = 0 , verify that y = Cx3 is a solution and find
the particular solution determined by the initial condition y = 2 when x = -3.

Solution:

y = Cx3 then y’ = 3Cx2 and xy’ - 3y = x ( 3Cx2 ) - 3 ( Cx3 ) = 0

Therefore it is a solution, furthermore, the initial condition y = 2 when x = -3 yields

y = Cx3 2 = C ( -3 )3 thus C = −

Thus conclude that the particular solution is:

𝟐
y = - x3
𝟐𝟕

Exercise 3 :

Check if the equation is a solution of the given differential equation and find the particular
solution determined by the given initial conditions.

1) y = Ax2 + 2x for xy’ - 2y = -2x

y(1) = 4

2) y = 2C1ex + 3C2e-2x for y” + y’ - 2y = 0

y(0) = 2
y’ ( 0 ) = -1
Family of Curves

An equation involving a parameter, as well as one or both of the coordinates of a point in a

plane, may represent a family of curves.

Example:

1) Find the differential equations of a family of circles, each having its center on the line
y = x and each passing through the origin.

Center at ( h , k )
but y = x
thus h = k = c

y=x

General equation of a circle:

( x - h )2 + ( y - k )2 = r2 but h = k and r2 = h2 + k2 = c2 + c2 = 2c2
( x - c )2 + ( y - c )2 = 2c2 ; x2 - 2xc + c2 + y2 - 2yc + c2 = 2c2
x2 + y2 - 2c ( x + y ) = 0 (1)
Differentiating once with respect to x, we have ; 2x + 2yy’ - 2c ( 1 + y’ ) = 0 (2)
Eliminating the arbitrary constant c by substitution , from ( 1 ) we have:

2c = ; substitute to the derivatives, we find that:

2x + 2yy’ - ( ) ( 1 + y’ ) = 0 ; will yield to:

( 2x + 2yy’ ) ( x + y ) - ( x2 + y2 ) ( 1 + y’ ) = 0
2x2 + 2xyy’ + 2xy + 2y2y’ – x2 – y2 - x2y’ - y2y’ = 0
 y’ ( 2xy + y2 - x2 ) + 2xy + x2 - y2 = 0
𝒙𝟐 𝟐𝒙𝒚 𝒚𝟐
y’ =
𝒙𝟐 𝟐𝒙𝒚 𝒚𝟐

2) Find the differential equation satisfied by the family of parabolas having their vertices at
the origin and their foci on the y-axis.
Solution:
The general equation of a parabola opening upward or downward is:
( y - k ) = ±4a ( x - h )2 ; ( x – h )2 = ±4a ( y – k )
But since the vertices is at the origin in which ( h, k ) be ( 0 , 0 ) and foci on the y-axis and
±4a ( a as distance of vertex to foci ) be a constant A, then the equation becomes:
y = Ax2 ( one arbitrary constant, derive once with respect to x )

y’ = 2Ax ; by substitution A = will yield to y’ = 2 ( ) x thus:

𝟐𝒚
y’ = which gives xy’ - 2y = 0
𝒙

Alternate solution:
x2 = ± 4ay ( Parabola with vertex at the origin and foci at y- axis )
let A = ± 4a
x2 = Ay (1)
2x = Ay’ (2)

From ( 1 ) ; A = substitute to ( 2 )

2x = y’ ; 2xy = x2y’ ; xy’ - 2y = 0

Note:
( x – h )2 = A ( y - k ) ( opening upward or downward, parallel to y- axis )
( y - k )2 = A ( x - h ) ( opening rightward or leftward, parallel to x- axis )
where; ( h, k ) is the location of the vertex and A = ± 4a

3) Find the differential equation of the family of circles having their center’s on the y-axis.
Solution:
Since center is on y-axis, h = 0 thus equation be : x2 + ( y - k )2 = r2 ( 1 )
With two arbitrary constants , we will derive the equation twice with respect to x.
2x + 2 ( y - k ) y’ = 0 ; x + ( y - k ) y’ = 0 (2)
1 + ( y’ ) ( y’ ) + ( y - k ) y” = 0
( )
( y - k ) = - (3)
"

Substitute ( 3 ) from equation ( 2 ) will results to:

( )
x - "
( y’ ) = 0

xy” - y’ - ( y’ )3 = 0
4) Find the differential equation of all family of straight lines with slope and y-intercept
equal.
Solution:
From the equation of a straight line in intercept form, we have:
y = mx + b but m = b yielding to y = mx + m = m( x + 1 ) (1)
Derived once ; y’ = m ( 1 ) ; therefore m = y’
Remember that m = y’ ; thus, substitute to the original equation
y = y’ ( x + 1 ) or y’ ( x + 1 ) - y = 0
Exercise 4
1) Find the differential equation of all family of straight lines at a fixed distance p from the
origin.

2) Find the differential equation of family of circles tangent to the x-axis.

3) Find the differential equation of the family of parabolas with axis parallel to the x-axis.

4) Find the differential equation of the cubics : cy2 = x2 ( x - a ) with a held fixed.

5) Find the differential equation of the quartics : c2y2 = x ( x - a )3 with c held as fixed.

6) Find the differential equation of family of circles through the intersection of the circle
x2 + y2 = 1 and the line y = x. Use the “ u + kv “ form; that is, the equation:
x2 + y2 - 1 + k ( y - x ) = 0