Solving Bernoulli Equation: Confirm Results and Identify Error

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on solving the Bernoulli equation xy' - 2y = x³y². The initial solution y = 5/(5c₁ - x⁵) was confirmed by Wolfram Alpha but contained an error due to the omission of an x² term. The corrected solution is y(x) = 5x²/(5c - x⁵), leading to the derivative y'(x) = (25x⁶ + 10x(5c - x⁵))/(5c - x⁵)². The final verification shows that the left-hand side equals the right-hand side of the original differential equation, confirming the solution is valid.

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Saladsamurai
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I have solved the following Bernoulli equation by letting Z = y1 - 2:

xy' - 2y = x3y2. I obtained the solution

y = 5/(5c1 - x5)

which Wolfram Alpha has confirmed.

From this result, I have obtained y' to be

y' = 25x4/(5c1 - x5)2

The problem is when I go to check the solution by plugging into DE:

x*25x4/(5c1 - x5)2 - 2*5/(5c1 - x5)

[tex]= \frac{25x^4}{(5c_1 - x^5)^2} - \frac{10}{5c_1 - x^5} = \frac{25x^4}{(5c_1 - x^5)^2} - \frac{10*(5c_1 - x^5)}{(5c_1 - x^5)^2}[/tex]

which will never equal the right hand side of the original equation:

[tex]x^3y^2 = x^3\frac{25}{(5c_1 - x^5)^2}[/tex]Anyone seeing where I am messing this up?

thanks.
 
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Hello fellow engineer ,

First of all your y(x) and wolframs y(x) are not the same function.

You are missing an [tex]x^{2}[/tex] term.
 
╔(σ_σ)╝ said:
Hello fellow engineer ,

First of all your y(x) and wolframs y(x) are not the same function.

You are missing an [tex]x^{2}[/tex] term.

Ahhh...yes. Thanks! So let's try this again...

The solution to xy' - 2y = x3y2 is given by

[tex]y(x) = \frac{5x^2}{5c - x^5} = 5x^2(5c - x^5)^{-1}[/tex]

[tex]\Rightarrow y'(x) = (5x^2)\cdot[(-1)(5c - x^5)^{-2}(-5x^4)] + ((5c - x^5)^{-1})\cdot[10x][/tex]

[tex]\Rightarrow y'(x) = \frac{25x^6}{(5c-x^5)^2}+\frac{10x}{5c-x^5}[/tex]

[tex]\Rightarrow y'(x) = \frac{25x^6+(5c - x^5)(10x)}{(5c - x^5)^2}[/tex]

Plugging the result back into original DE we have

[tex]\frac{25x^7+(5c - x^5)(10x^2)}{(5c - x^5)^2} - 2*\frac{5x^2}{5c - x^5}=<br /> \frac{25x^7+(5c - x^5)(10x^2)}{(5c - x^5)^2} -\frac{(5c - x^5)(10x^2)}{(5c - x^5)^2} = \frac{25x^7}{(5c - x^5)^2} = A[/tex]

From the right side of original DE we know that

[tex]A' = x^3y^2 = \frac{(x^3)(25*x^4)}{(5c - x^5)^2} =\frac{25x^7}{(5c - x^5)^2}[/tex]

Thus, A = A' and we must have the solution.

Thanks for catching that error! :smile:
 

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