Integrating Equation 1: Understanding the Answer

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
3 replies · 3K views
humphreybogart
Messages
22
Reaction score
1
I am working my way through a textbook, and whenever this equation is solved (integrated), the answer is given as:

u = f(x) + f(y)

I don't understand it. If I integrate it once (with respect to y, say), then I obtain:

∂u/∂x = f(x) -----eq.1

If I integrate again (this time with respect to x), then I obtain:

u = xf(x) + f(y)

I know that this can't be correct because the mixed derivative theorem says that if I went the other way (integrating with respect to x and then y), I should get the same answer. But I can't see how integrating eq.1 doesn't produce and 'x' infront of the arbitrary function.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Floydd
Physics news on Phys.org
Excellent. Got it now. Not seeing 1) is my fault. Not showing 2) in the working is the textbook's. :P
 
humphreybogart said:
I am working my way through a textbook, and whenever this equation is solved (integrated), the answer is given as:

u = f(x) + f(y)
Wouldn't it be u = f(x) + g(y)? It wouldn't be the same function for both.