[ODEs] Exact Equations and Substitution

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around two differential equations: one involving exact equations and integrating factors, and the other requiring substitution to find a general solution. Participants are exploring the challenges faced in solving these equations and the feedback from an online homework system.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the process of finding an integrating factor for the first problem, questioning the correctness of their calculations and the input requirements of the online system. They also explore substitution methods for the second problem, with concerns about matching the expected form for the solution.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of potential errors in the calculations for both problems. Some participants express frustration with the online system's feedback, suggesting possible bugs or typos in the stored answers. The discussion remains open, with participants offering insights and clarifications without reaching a definitive conclusion.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the constraints of the online homework system, including issues with input syntax and the possibility of errors in the system's answer database. There is also a reference to the need for precise forms in the solutions as required by the homework platform.

FermiParadox
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Okay, I'm going insane. I have these problems completely worked out and have stared at them for centuries but the online homework is still telling me they're wrong. Could anyone here take a look and let me know? I'd appreciate it a ton.

Problem 1: Exact Equation

Homework Statement



Given the differential equation (12+5xy)dx + (6xy-1+3x2)dy=0 which is not exact, find an integrating factor (in the form xnym ) and use it to find the general (nonzero) solution. I'm not worried about the general solution because one of the input fields calls for finding the integrating factor and because it tells me I'm wrong, I haven't bothered to go any further to find a wrong general solution.


Homework Equations



(12+5xy)dx +(6xy-1+3x2)dy = 0
u = xnym

The Attempt at a Solution



a. Multiply through by xnym, giving:
(12xnym+5xn+1ym+1) dx + (6xn+1ym-1+3xn+2ym)dy = 0​

b. Now that the equation has been multiplied by the integrating factor, the test for exactness should come up true. Therefore,
My = Nx
[12bxnym-1 + 5xn+1ym(m+1)] = [6xnym-1(n+1)+3xn+1ym(n+2)]​

c. Okay, now that we have all of those we should be clear to set like terms - those with the same power of xnym - equal to one another, and then solve for n and m.
12m = 6(n+1)
12m = 6n+6
12m-6 = 6n
2m-1 = n

5(m+1) = 3(n+2)
5m+5 = 3n + 6
5m = 3n+1
5m = 3(2m-1)+1
5m = 6m-2
-m = -2
m = 2

n = 2m-1
n = 2(2)-1
n = 3

So our integrating factor is x3y2, yet apparently that's wrong. What gives?

Problem 2: Substitution

Homework Statement



Find the general solution of

y' = 1-ey-x+1

Notice the right-hand-side is in the form y' = f(ax+by+c).

The solution should be written in the form f(x,y) = C (where C is the constant of integration).

Homework Equations



y' = f(ax+by+c)
f(x,y) = C
y' = 1-ey-x+1

The Attempt at a Solution



a. Fairly straightforward substitution. I decided to do
v = y-x+1
v' = y'-1
y' = v'+1​

b. Now plugging that into the equation, we get-

v'+1 = 1-ev
v' = -ev
-e-vdv = dx​

c. Integrate both sides, substitute back in v.

e-v = x+C
e-v-x = C
e-(y-x+1)-x=C​

Not sure what I did wrong here, either. I have a habit when progressing through these problems of making tiny mistakes that botch the entire thing, so if I did that here, please let me know! I think my general approach is right, though.
 
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FermiParadox said:
Problem 1: Exact Equation

So our integrating factor is x3y2, yet apparently that's wrong. What gives?


I don't see the problem either on this one (I though I'd found a sign error for m at first, but it turned out to be mine...). Multiplying through by x3y2 does make My = Nx .

What exactly does the input request? The integrating factor itself or just the exponents of x and y? (Have I said how much I hate computer-based problem systems? Well, maybe only in every twentieth thread...)
 
Yeah, I hate them too. It's convenient when I want to miss class and still do the homework, I guess, and at least this one doesn't penalize for multiple tries, but I usually spend more time figuring out the right syntax than I do solving the problem.

The input calls for the integrating factor - I think there might just be a bug on this particular problem because I went ahead and solved the stupid thing and got a 50% on it after inputting the solution, so... not really sure.
 
It could be that the stored answer that the computer compares student answers to has a typo; that's been known to happen. I wonder if the instructor forgot the order of the exponents and entered "x2y3", but nonetheless solved the DE correctly.

I can look at #2 in a while...
 
Thanks, I'd appreciate that - and thank you again for the help so far.
 
FermiParadox said:
Problem 2: Substitution
...

v' = -ev
-e-vdv = dx[/indent]

c. Integrate both sides, substitute back in v.

e-v = x+C
e-v-x = C
e-(y-x+1)-x=C​


The only problem I can see there might be is that you don't have quite the form the computer was given as "correct". But this does solve the original DE -- consider by implicit differentiation:

\frac{d}{dx} [e^{-(y-x+1)} - x ] = \frac{d}{dx} C \Rightarrow [-e^{-(y-x+1)} \cdot ( y' - 1 ) ] - 1 = 0 ,

using a bit o' Chain Rule, so

\Rightarrow [-e^{-(y-x+1)} \cdot ( y' - 1 ) ] = 1 \Rightarrow y' - 1 = \frac{1}{-e^{-(y-x+1)}} = -e^{(y-x+1)} ,

\Rightarrow y' = 1 - e^{(y-x+1)} ,

which is the DE we started with.

By doing the problems on the computer system thoroughly, you may just be finding all the "buried, unexploded ordinance" in the answer database. How does it feel to be a minesweeper...?
 

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