Separable Differential Equations

Moridin
Messages
692
Reaction score
3

Homework Statement



I'm having trouble understanding my class notes from a lecture on separable differential equations.

I would like to solve the equation g(y)y' = f(x)

The Attempt at a Solution



g(y)y' = f(x), G(x), F(x) exists and are continuous

The left side is the derivative of G(y(x)) and the right is F(x) + C

\frac{d}{dx} G(y(x)) = \frac{d}{dx} F(x) + C

G'(y(x))y'(x) = g(y(x))y'(x)

\frac{d}{dx} (F(x) + C) = F'(x) + 0 = f(x)

G(y(x)) = F(x) + C

So do you simply do

G-1(G(y(x))) = y(x) = G-1(F(x)) + G-1(C) ?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Assuming G^{-1} exists and is a 1:1 map, then yes...Some functions do not have inverses that uniquely determine y(x), for instance y^2(x)=F(x)+C \Rightarrow y(x)= \pm \sqrt{F(x)+C} which is not a single valued function.
 
hello, I'm also taking a class on ODE but i have a problem -i use An Intro course in Diff. eq.'s by Zill - that i get a nonsense result here is the eq:

sin3x + 2y(cos3x)^3 = 0 (here ^ is to raise a power.how are u raising powers & all the mathematical writings?)

the eq in standard form look: (y^2)'=2ydy= -sin3x dx/2(cos 3x)^3.

the last result i get which is nonsense ofcourse is: y^2 = -1/6(cos3x)^2. another result includes tan3x but is still negative.

so y^2 is negative which is impossible. is the result right? I think there's a problem with the D.E. given.

hope u can help. thx
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
Back
Top