Help with first order, Bernoulli ODE

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a first-order differential equation that is purported to be a Bernoulli equation. Participants explore methods for solving the equation, express confusion regarding its classification, and consider various substitutions and transformations.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty in identifying the equation as a Bernoulli equation due to the presence of a factor of 1/x.
  • Another suggests checking the solution by substituting back into the original equation and refers to a Wikipedia page for Bernoulli equations.
  • A participant mentions struggling to convert the equation into a usable form for Bernoulli's substitutions and attempts to find explicit forms for y(x) and x(y).
  • There is a suggestion to apply a change of variables to potentially simplify the equation into a solvable form.
  • One participant shares an unsuccessful attempt at a substitution (u = x^4 - y) that did not yield a linear or Bernoulli equation.
  • Another participant proposes forming the equation for the variable x as a potential approach.
  • A more complex transformation is presented, leading to a Riccati equation and ultimately relating to the Airy function.
  • In a later post, a participant indicates that the problem assigned was incorrect, acknowledging the confusion caused by the problem's formulation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express uncertainty about the classification of the equation as a Bernoulli equation, and multiple competing views on how to approach solving it are present. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best method to tackle the problem.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions made about the equation's form and the effectiveness of proposed substitutions. The transformations discussed may depend on specific definitions and conditions that are not fully explored.

scorpion990
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Help with first order, "Bernoulli" ODE

We just covered:
-First order linear ordinary differential equations
-Bernoulli Equations
-Simple substitutions.

This problem was assigned. Its supposedly a Bernoulli equation with respect to y, but I can't figure it out...

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/12/23331767fh5.png

When I solve for dx/dy, I get dx/dy = x^3 -y/x, which is not a Bernoulli equation because of the factor of 1/x, and not x. Help?
 
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I didn't get an answer at all. My problem is that I could not convert it into a form which I can use Bernoulli's substitutions on it. I tried finding an explicit for both y(x) and x(y).
 
I doesn't look like Bernoulli's equation but I wonder if you can use similar techniques. Is there a change of variables you can apply to put it into a form that you know how to solve?
 
A basic u = x^4-y substitution did not yield a linear (or a Bernoulli) differential equation =( I'm stumped. Does anybody mind steering me in the right direction?
 
Last edited:
Can you try forming the equation for the variable x?
 
This problem was assigned. Its supposedly a Bernoulli equation with respect to y, but I can't figure it out...

The ODE [itex](x^4-y(x))\,y'(x)=x[/itex] is not a Bernoulli equation and furthermore is not a simple one :smile:
You can transformed it into a Riccati one by the transformation

[tex]x=\frac{\sqrt{t(u)}}{2^{1/6}},\,y(x)=\frac{u}{2^{2/3}},\,y'(x)=\frac{2\,\sqrt{t(u)}}{t'(u)}[/tex]

which makes the ODE

[tex]t'(u)-t(u)^2=-u[/tex]

Now letting
[tex]t(u)=-\frac{w'(u)}{w(u)}[/tex]
we arrive to

[tex]w''(u)-u\,w(u)=0[/tex]

which is the definition of the Airy function.
 
Ya..As it turns out, our teacher gave us the wrong problem...
Thanks though! I really appreciate it!

(Its kind of interesting how tiny changes in the terms creates such a huge difference in difficulty)
 

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