Faculty of Science and Technology, School of Science
Separable
Differential
Equations
Separation of
Variables
A first order differential equation of
the form
dy
p x q y
dx
is said to be separable
Separable first order differential
equation
dy
p x q y
dx
p(x) involves only independent
variable x; q(y) involves only
dependent variable y
Separable first order differential
equation
dy
p x q y
dx
Functions p(x) and q(y) combined by
multiplication or division, but not by
addition or subtraction
Separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx
Functions p(x) = x and q(y) = y2 are
combined by multiplication
Non-separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx
Functions p(x) = x and q(y) = y2 are
combined by addition
Solution mechanism
Separate the variables so that
everything involving x is on the right...
...and everything dy
y and
involving dx
is on the left
We can then integrate both sides with
respect to x
Include arbitrary constant c only on
one side usually on the right
The solution we obtain is known as
the general solution
Example 1
Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx
Separate the dy 2
xy
variables dx
Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx
Divide both 1 dy
2
x
sides by y2 y dx
Now separated
Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx
Integrate both 1 dy
2
dx x dx
sides with y dx
respect to x
Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx
Integrate LHS
with respect
1
to y, RHS with 2
dy x dx
y
respect to x
Obtain the general solution of
separable differential equation
dy 2
xy
dx
Include only 2
1 x
one arbitrary c
y 2
constant c
It is often difficult, or indeed,
impossible to obtain a explicit
general solution for y
1 x 2 2
c y 2
y 2 x 2c
Although it can be
done this time
It is often difficult, or indeed,
impossible to obtain a explicit
general solution for y
1 x 2 2
c y 2
y 2 x k
k is just as good a
constant as 2c
Example 2
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt
We are looking for p as a
function of t
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt
Separate the 5p
dp
4t 1
variables dt
Wait a minute,
they already are!
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt
Integrate both
dp
sides with 5p 4t 1
dt
respect to t
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt
Integrate both dp
sides with 5p dt 4t 1 dt
dt
respect to t
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt
Integrate LHS
with respect to 5p dp 4t 1 dt
p, RHS with
respect to t
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt
2
5p
Integrate 2t 2 t c
2
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt
24 2 2 2
Integrate p t t c
5 5 5
Not easy to obtain
p explicitly
Obtain the general solution of
differential equation
dp
5p 4t 1
dt
24 2 2
Integrate p t t k
5 5
k is just as good a
constant!
Particular
Solutions
In order to specify the arbitrary
constant, we need some extra
information about the problem
Once we have specified the arbitrary
constant, the updated solution is
known as a particular solution
In order to specify the arbitrary
constant, we need some extra
information about the problem
For first order equations, we only
need one extra piece of information
For first order equations, we only
need one extra piece of information
This condition is usually a specified
known value y for a given value x
This is often termed an initial
condition
Example
...for which y = 1 when x = 0
...for which y (0) = 1
Example 3
Obtain the particular solution of
separable differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
for which s = 4 when r = 2
Obtain the particular solution of
separable differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
for which s (2) = 4
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
Factorise the ds 2
r s 1 2r
RHS dr
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 1 2r
dr
Separate the 1 ds 1 2r 2
variables s dr r
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
Integrate both 1 ds 1 2r 2
sides with dr dr
s dr r
respect to r
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
Integrate LHS
with respect to 1 1 2r 2
ds dr
s, RHS with s r
respect to r
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
1 1 2r 2
Integrate ds dr
s r r
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
1
1
Integrate ds 2r dr
s r
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
2
Integrate lns lnr r c
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
2
Integrate lns lnr r ln k
Writing the constant as ln k
is a good idea when
logarithms are involved
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
Take lns lnr r 2 lnk
e e
exponentials
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
lns l nr r 2 lnk
Take e e e e
exponentials
First obtain the general solution of
the differential equation
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
General r 2
s kre
solution
Now substitute the extra information
to obtain the arbitrary constant
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
r 2
s = 4 when r = 2 s kre
Now substitute the extra information
to obtain the arbitrary constant
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
r 2
s kre
22
s (2) = 4 4 k 2 e
Now substitute the extra information
to obtain the arbitrary constant
ds 2
r s 2r s
dr
4
4 2ke
s (2) = 4 4
k 2e
Now replace k with the value we
have obtained for it
General r 2
solution s kre
Particular 4
s 2e re r 2
solution
Now replace k with the value we
have obtained for it
General r 2
solution s kre
Particular s 2re 4r 2
solution
