Unsolvable Linear First-Order ODEs with Boundary Conditions

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on three unsolvable first-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with boundary conditions. The equations are: (1) dy/dx = √(x + y), y(1) = 0; (2) dy/dx = 2y(x√y - 1), y(0) = 1; and (3) 2x² dy/dx = x² + y², y(2) = 4. Attempts to solve these equations using substitutions and methods such as Bernoulli equations and exact differential equations were explored, with Mathematica providing a solution for the second equation but failing to solve the first and third equations. The discussion highlights the limitations of elementary functions in solving these specific ODEs.

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  • Understanding of first-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs)
  • Familiarity with boundary value problems
  • Knowledge of substitution methods in differential equations
  • Experience with software tools like Mathematica for solving ODEs
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  • Study Bernoulli equations and their applications in solving differential equations
  • Learn about exact differential equations and the conditions for their applicability
  • Explore advanced methods for solving first-order ODEs, such as integrating factors
  • Investigate the use of numerical methods for approximating solutions to unsolvable ODEs
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Mathematics students, researchers in applied mathematics, and professionals dealing with differential equations in engineering or physics will benefit from this discussion.

lol_nl
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Homework Statement


Out of a set of differential equations with boundary conditions, there are three (first order) equations I couldn't solve. These are:

Homework Equations


1. [tex] \frac {dy} {dx} = \sqrt{x + y}, y(1) = 0.[/tex]
2. [tex] \frac {dy} {dx} = 2y(x \sqrt{y} - 1), y(0) = 1.[/tex]
3. [tex] 2x^2 \frac {dy} {dx} = x^2 + y^2, y(2) = 4.[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


The first two can probably be solved with a nice substitution. I tried u = x + y for the first one, but this gave me the equation [tex]\frac {du} {dx} = 1 + \sqrt{u}[/tex], which can be solved for u to get, after resubstituting, [tex]2 \sqrt{x+y} - 2 log[1+\sqrt{x+y} - 2 + 2 log[2] = x[/tex], which doesn't seem solvable for y[x].
For the second one I tried substituting [tex]u = x \sqrt{y}[/tex] and [tex]u = x \sqrt{y} - 1[/tex], but neither gave an equation that could be written in terms of u only (without x or y).
For the third one I only noticed that y=x is a general solution, but it doesn't agree with the initial condition y(2) = 4, and neither does any manipulation such as y=2x or y=x+2.
 
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By the way, Mathematica could only solve for (2.) and gave the solution:
[tex]y[x] = \frac {1}{(1+x+e^{x} C[1])^{2}}[/tex].

For the first one it couldn't find a solution and for the third one it gave an output of a couple of dozen of lines of amongst other Bessel functions.

Another method I tried was writing the equation in the form
[tex]a(x,y) + b(x,y) \frac{dy}{dx} = 0[/tex] and then trying to find a constant E(x,y) such that [tex]\frac{\partial E}{\partial x} = a(x,y), \frac{\partial E}{\partial y} = b(x,y)[/tex]. However, this requires equality of mixed second-order derivatives, and this is not the case for either of the equations. Neither could I easily see a constant [tex]\phi(x,y)[/tex] to multiply the above equation with such that [tex]\phi a(x,y)[/tex] and [tex]\phi b(x,y)[/tex] do satisfy.
(I'm not sure what this method is called in English; it was mentioned in my Dutch textbook)
 
The first one can't be solved for y with elementary functions, so that's about as far as you can go.

Apparently the second one can be written as a Bernoulli equation according to WolframAlpha, and that's how you would get the solution that Mathematica gave you.

For the third one, y = ux will turn it into a separable equation.
I think it's interesting how x works in the differential equation, but you can't get it from the general solution...

The method you're talking about is exact differential equations I think; it doesn't look like that method will be helpful for this one.
 

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