shseo0315 said:
Homework Statement
1+x^2 dy/dx = 1+y^2
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
if I clean this up a little, I would get
1/ (1+x^2) dx = 1/ (1+y^2) dy
correct?
since the integral of 1+x^2 is arctanX, I get
arctanX + C = arctanY + C.
And I don't know what to do from here. Please help!
First, you don't need both "C"s. And you especially should not write the same symbol, "C", for both- that makes it look like they will cancel. Since the constant of integration may not be the same on both sides, you shold write "arctan(x)+ C1= arctan(y)+ C2" (also, do NOT use "x" and "X" interchangeably- they are different symbols).
Now, if you like you can write arctan(y)= arctan(x)+ (C1- C2) and since C1 and C2 are unknown constants, C1- C2 can be any constant. Just call it "C": C= C1- C2. Then you have arctan(y)= arctan(x)+ C.
If you want to solve for y, just take the tangent of both sides:
y= tan(arctan(x)+ C)
Caution- this is NOT the same as tan(arctan(x))+ arctan(C)!
What is true is that
tan(A+ B)= \frac{tan(A)+ tan(B)}{1+ tan(A)tan(B)}
with A= arctan(x) and B= C, tan(A)= x so
y= tan(arctan(x)+ C)= \frac{x+ tan(C)}{1+ tan(C)x}
and, again, since C is an arbitrary constant and the range of tangent is all real numbers, tan(C) is an arbitrary constant. letting tan(C)= C',
y= \frac{x+ C'}{1+ C'x}