Partial differential equations

and their formation

Differential Equation : An equation involving derivatives of one or more dependent
variables with the respect to one or more independent variables is called a differential
equation. In connection with this basic definition, we do not include the differential
equations which are derivative identities, for example,

etc.

Partial differential equation (P.D.E.) : A differential equation involving partial

derivatives of one or more dependent variables with the respect to more than one
independent variable is called a partial differential equation.
When we consider the case of two independent variables and one dependent variable, we
usually take x and y as independent variables and z as dependent variable.
For example

......(1)

......(2)

......(3)

…...(4)

Order of a Partial Differential Equation :

The order of the highest partial derivative occurring in the partial differential equation is
called the order of a partial differential equation.
The equation (1) and (4) given above are of the first order, (3) is of second order and (2) is
of the third order.

Degree of a partial differential equation : The degree of a partial differential

equation is the degree of the highest order derivative which occurs in it after the equation
has been rationalized i.e., made free from radicals and fractions as far as derivatives are
concerned. The equations (1), (2) given above are of first degree while equations (4) is of
second degree.
Linear and non-linear partial differential equations :
A partial differential equation is said to be linear if the dependent variable and its partial
derivatives occur only in the first degree and are not multiplied.
A partial differential equation which is not linear is called a non-linear partial differential
equation.
Equations (1) is linear while equations (2) and (3) are non-linear.

Notations : When we consider the case of two independent variables we usually assume
them to be x and y and assume z to be the dependent variable. We shall use the following
notations throughout the study of partial differential equations

Formation of Partial Differential Equation

Example 1 : Eliminate arbitrary constants a and b from to form
the partial differential equation.

Solution : Given function is ......(1)

Differentiating (1) partially with respect to x and y, we get

......(2)

and ......(3)
To eliminate the arbitrary constant a and b from (2) and (3), squaring and adding (2) and (3)
, we get

or [By (1)]
which is the required partial differential equation.

Example 2 : Form partial differential equations by eliminating arbitrary

constants a and b from the following relations :
(i) (ii)
Solution : (i) Given function is ......(1)
Differentiating (1) partially with respect to x and y, we get

......(2)
and ......(3)
To eliminate arbitrary constant a from (2) and (3), we equate the values of a from (2) and (3)

to get
which is the required partial differential equation.

(ii) Given function is ......(1)

Differentiating (1) partially with respect to x and y, we get

......(2)

and ......(3)
To eliminate a and b from (2) and (3) , we substitute the values of a and b from (2) in (1), to

get
which is the required partial differential equation.

Example 3 : Form the partial differential equation by eliminating the arbitrary

constants a and b from .
Solution : Given ......(1)

Differentiating (1) partially w.r.t. ‘x’, we get ......(2)

Differentiating (1) partially w.r.t. ‘y’, we get ......(3)

From (3), ......(4)

To eliminate a and b , we put the above values of az  1 and a in (2), to get

which is the required partial differential equation.

Example 4 : Form the partial differential equation by eliminating constants A and

b from z = A ebt sin bx.

Solution : Given function is ......(1)

Differentiating (1) partially with respect to x and t, we get
 ......(2)

......(3)
It is not easy to eliminate A and b from equations (1), (2) and (3).
Again differentiating (2) and (3) partially with respect to x and t respectively, we get

......(4)

......(5)
To eliminate the arbitrary constants, we add (4) and (5), to get

......(6)
which is the required partial differential equation.
We note that the equation (6) is not unique. Differentiating (2) and (3) w.r.t. t and x
respectively, we obtain

......(7)

......(8)

From (7) and (8), we get another partial differential equation .

Example 5 : Form a partial differential equation by eliminating the arbitrary

function f from the equation .

Solution : Given that ......(1)

Differentiating (1) partially w.r.t. ‘x’ and ‘y’ respectively, we get

......(2)

and ......(3)

To eliminate from (2) and (3), we divide (2) by (3), to get

or
or
which is the required partial differential equation.
Example 6 : Form a partial differential equation by eliminating the function f

from .

Solution : Given that ......(1)

Differentiating (1) partially with respect to x and y , we get

......(2)

and ......(3)
Multiplying both sides of (2) by x, we have

......(4)
Multiplying both sides of (3) by y, we have

......(5)

Adding (4) and (5), we get

or [by (1)]
which is the required partial differential equation.

Example 7: Form partial differential equation by eliminating arbitrary functions f

and g from .

Solution : Given that ......(1)

Differentiating (1) partially with respect to x and y , we get

......(2)

and ......(3)
Differentiating (2) and (3) w.r.t. x and y respectively, we get

......(4)

and ......(5)
Again from (2), we have

......(6)
Substituting the values of from (5) and (6) in
(4), we get

or
which is the required partial differential equation.
Example 8: Form a partial differential equation by a eliminating the arbitrary
functions f and  from the equation

[K.U. 2008, 04]

Solution : Given that ......(1)
Differentiate given equation (1) partially w.r.t. x, we get

 ......2
Again differentiating (1) partially w.r.t. y, two times, we get

......3
Again differentiating (1) partially w.r.t. t, we get

or ......4
Now, adding 2 and 3, we get

or [From 4]
which is the required partial differential equation.