The equation is said to be homogeneous if P and Q are

homogeneous functions of x and y of the same degree.

We can test to see whether this first order equation is homogeneous by

substituting . If the result is in the form f(v)i.e. all the x's are
canceled then the test is satisfied and the equation is Homogeneous.

Example 1:

There are no terms in x on the right hand side and the equation is
Homogereous.

Example 2:

So the original equation is not homogeneous.

Methods Of Solution.
A solution can be found by putting y = vx on both sides of the equation:-

Example 3:

Putting y - vx
Since y is a function of x so is v
 Separating the variables

(1)

Integrating

(2)

Substituting (2) in equation (1)

The General Form Of A Homogeneous Linear

Equation.

The method to solve this is to put and the equation then reduces to a
linear type with constant coefficients.

Also
Hence

And

The Use Of The D Operator To Solve

Homogeneous Equations.

(4)

Then from equation (3)

And from equation (4)

Example 4:

Solve the following Differential equation:-

By putting and using the D factorthen the equation reduces to:-

(3)
Example 5:

Solve the following Differential Equation:-

By putting and using the D factor, the equation reduces to:-

Equations Which Can Be Reduced To The

Homogeneous Form.
Consider the following equation:-

The equation is not Homogeneous due to the constant terms "(+ 4)" and "(-
10)"
However if we shift the origin to the point of intersection of the straight lines
, then the constant terms in the
differential equation will disappear.

Example 6:
 The lines meet at the point
(1, 2). We therefore make the following substitution:-

The equation now becomes:-

This is homogeneous and can be solved by putting Y = v X. The

solution is given by:-

Exceptional Case.
If the two straight lines are parallel, then there is no finite point of
intersection and we proceed as follows:-

Thus the equation becomes:-

 Exact Differential Equations
Consider the equation

f(x,y) = C

Taking the gradient we get

fx(x,y)i + fy(x,y)j = 0

We can write this equation in differential form as

fx(x,y)dx+ fy(x,y)dy = 0

Now divide by dx (we are not pretending to be rigorous here) to get

fx(x,y)+ fy(x,y) dy/dx = 0

Which is a first order differential equation. The goal of this section is to go

backward. That is if a differential equation if of the form above, we seek the
original function f(x,y) (called a potential function). A differential equation
with a potential function is called exact. If you have had vector calculus, this
is the same as finding the potential functions and using the fundamental
theorem of line integrals.

Example

Solve

4xy + 1 + (2x2 + cos y)y' = 0

Solution

We seek a function f(x,y) with

fx(x,y) = 4xy + 1 and fy(x,y) = 2x2 + cos y

Integrate the first equation with respect to x to get

f(x,y) = 2x2y + x + C(y) Notice since y is treated as a constant,. we

write C(y).

Now take the partial derivative with respect to y to get

 fy(x,y) = 2x2 + C'(y)

We have two formulae for fy(x,y) so we can set them equal to each other.

2x2 + cos y = 2x2 + C'(y)

That is

C'(y) = cos y

or

C(y) = sin y

Hence

f(x,y) = 2x2y + x + sin y

The solution to the differential equation is

2x2y + x + sin y = C

Does this method always work? The answer is no. We can tell if the method
works by remembering that for a function with continuous partial derivatives,
the mixed partials are order independent. That is

fxy = fyx

If we have the differential equation

M(x,y) + N(x,y)y' = 0

then we say it is an exact differential equation if

My(x,y) = Nx(x,y)

Theorem: Solutions to Exact Differential

Equations
Let M, N, My, and Nx be continuous with

My = Nx
Then there is a function f with

fx = M and fy = N

such that

f(x,y) = C

is a solution to the differential equation

M(x,y) + N(x,y)y' = 0

Example

Solve the differential equation

y + (2xy - e-2y)y' = 0

Solution

We have

M(x,y) = y and N(x,y) = 2xy - e-2y

Now calculate

My = 1 and Nx = 2y

Since they are not equal, finding a potential function f is hopeless. However
there is a glimmer of hope if we remember how we solved first order linear
differential equations. We multiplied both sides by an integrating factor m.
We do that here to get

mM + mNy' = 0

For this to be exact we must have

(mM)y = (mN)x

Using the product rule gives

myM + mMy = mxN + mNx

We now have a new differential equation that is unfortunately more difficult
to solve than the original differential equation. We simplify the equation by
assuming that either m is a function of only x or only y. If it is a function of
only x, then my = 0 and

mMy = mxN + mNx

Solving for mx, we get

M y - Nx
mx =
N

If this is a function of y only, then we will be able to find an integrating factor

that involves y only.

If it is a function of only y, then mx = 0 and

myM + mMy = mNx

Solving for my, we get

Nx - My
my = m
M

If this is a function of y only, then we will be able to find an integrating factor

that involves y only.

For our example

Nx - My 2y - 1
my = m = m = (2 - 1/y)m
M y

Separating gives

dm/m = (2 - 1/y) dy

Integrating gives

ln m = 2y - ln y

m = e2y - ln y = y -1e2y

Multiplying both sides of the original differential equation by m gives

 y(y -1e2y) + (y -1e2y)(2xy - e-2y)y' = 0

e2y + (2xe2y - 1/y)y' = 0

Now we see that

My = 2e2y = Nx

Which tells us that the differential equation is exact. We therefore have

fx (x,y) = e2y

Integrating with respect to x gives

f(x,y) = xe2y + C(y)

Now taking the partial derivative with respect to y gives

fy(x,y) = 2xe2y + C'(y) = 2xe2y - 1/y

So that

C'(y) = 1/y

Integrating gives

C(y) = ln y

The final solution is

xe2y + ln y = 0

Equations Reducible to Exact Form

There are non-exact differential equations of first-order which can be

made into exact differential equations by multiplication with an expression

called an integrating factor. Finding an integrating factor for a non-exact

equation is equivalent to solving it since we can find the solution by the

method described in Section 2.2. There is no general rule for finding

integrating factors for non-exact equations. We mention here two important

cases for finding integrating factors. It may be seen from examples given

below that integrating factors are not unique in general.

Computation of Integrating Factor

Let M(x.y)dx+N(x,y)dy=0

be a non-exact equation.

Then

M y −N x
(i) ∫
N
dx
µ( x ) = e

is an integrating factor, where My, Nx are partial derivatives of M

My − Nx
and N with respect to y and x and is a function of x alone.
N

N x −M y
(ii) ∫
M
dy
µ( x ) = e

is an integrating factor, where My and Nx are as in the case

Nx − My
(i) and is a function of y alone.
M

Example : (a) Let us consider non-exact differential equation.

(x2/y) dy+2xdx=0
 1
and y are integrating factors of this equation.
x2

(b) ex is an integrating factor of the equation

dy
+y = x
dx

Example : Solve the differential equation of the first-order:

xydx+(2x2+3y2-20)dy=0

Solution: M(x,y)=xy, N(x,y)=2x2+3y2-20

My=x and Nx=4x. This shows that the differential equation is not exact.

My −Nx − 3x
=
N 2 x + 3 y 2 − 20
2

My − Nx
leads us nowhere, as is a function of both x and y. However,
N

Nx − My 4x − x 3
= = is a function of y only. Hence
M xy y

dy
∫3
e y = e 3 ln y = e ln y 3 = y 3 is an integrating factor.

After multiplying the given differential equation by y3 we obtain

xy4dx+(2x2y3+3y5-20y3)dy=0

This is an exact differentiation equation. Applying the method of the

previous section we get

 1 2 4 3 6
x y + y − 5y 4 = C
2 6

Example: Solve the following differential equation:

(2y2+3x)dx+2xydy=0

Solution: The given differential equation is not exact, that is

∂M ∂N
≠ , where
∂y ∂x

M(x,y)=2y2+3x

N(x,y)=2xy

(My-Nx)/N = 1/x is a function of x only.

Hence e ∫ dx / x = x is an integrating factor.

By multiplying the given equation by x we get (2y2x+3x2)dx+2x2ydy=0

This is an exact equation as

∂ ∂
( 2y 2 x + 3 x 2 ) = (2 x 2 y )
∂y ∂x

Applying the method for solving exact differential equation, we get

f=x2y2+x3+h(y), h’(y)=0, and h(y)=c if we put fx=2xy2+3x2. The solution of

the differential equation is x2y2+x3=c.