Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 2.

2 - Problem 27 Page 1 of 3

Problem 27
Consider the initial value problem

y 0 = ty(4 − y)/3, y(0) = y0 .

(a) Determine how the behavior of the solution as t increases depends on the initial value y0 .

(b) Suppose that y0 = 0.5. Find the time T at which the solution first reaches the value 3.98.

Solution

Part (a)

This ODE is separable because it is of the form y 0 = f (t)g(y), so it can be solved by separating
variables.
dy ty(4 − y)
=
dt 3
Bring the terms with y to the left and bring the terms with t to the right.
dy t
= dt
y(4 − y) 3

Integrate both sides. ˆ ˆ

dy t
= dt
y(4 − y) 3
ˆ 
t2

1 1 1
+ dy = +C
4 y 4−y 6
ˆ 
t2

1 1 1
− dy = +C
4 y y−4 6
Multiply both sides by 4 and evaluate the integral.
2
ln |y| − ln |y − 4| = t2 + 4C
3
 
 y  2 2
ln   = t + 4C
y − 4 3
Exponentiate both sides.
   2 
 y 
  = exp 2t + 4C
y − 4 3
2 /3
= e4C e2t

Introduce ± on the right side to remove the absolute value sign.

y 2
= ±e4C e2t /3
y−4

Use a new constant A for ±e4C .

y 2
= Ae2t /3
y−4

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Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 2.2 - Problem 27 Page 2 of 3

Apply the initial condition y(0) = y0 now to determine A.

y0
=A
y0 − 4
As a result,
y y0 2t2 /3
= e .
y−4 y0 − 4
Multiply both sides by y − 4.
y0 2t2 /3 y0 2t2 /3
y=y e −4 e
y0 − 4 y0 − 4
 
y0 2t2 /3 y0 2t2 /3
y 1− e = −4 e
y0 − 4 y0 − 4
Therefore, the solution is
2 /3
−4 y0y−4
0
e2t
y(t) = y0 2t2 /3
1− y0 −4 e
2
4y0 e2t /3
=
4 − y0 + y0 e2t2 /3
2
4y0 e2t /3
= .
4 + y0 (e2t2 /3 − 1)

Figure 1: This figure shows the direction field for the ODE. In red are possible solutions to the
ODE, depending what y0 is. If y0 > 0, then the solution converges to y = 4. Otherwise, the
solution diverges to −∞.

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Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 2.2 - Problem 27 Page 3 of 3

Part (b)

Set y0 = 0.5 and y = 3.98 and solve the equation for t.

2
4(0.5)e2t /3
3.98 =
4 + 0.5(e2t2 /3 − 1)
2
4e2t /3
3.98 =
8 + e2t2 /3 − 1
2 /3
Multiply both sides by 8 + e2t − 1.
2 /3 2 /3
31.84 + 3.98e2t − 3.98 = 4e2t
2 /3
27.86 = 0.02e2t
2 /3
1393 = e2t
2t2
ln 1393 =
3
3
t2 = ln 1393
2
Therefore, r
3
t= ln 1393 ≈ 3.30.
2

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