MATH 251 Work sheet / Things to know

Chapter 1

1. Classifications of differential equation

ODEs vs PDEs

What is the order of an equation?

What makes an equation linear?

Ex.1.1.1 Which equation is linear? What is each equation’s order?

(a) y″ − 5t3 y′ + ln(t) y = t e 2t

(b) y″′ + 2t y′ = y4

(c) y″ + 3( y′)4 + sin(2t) y = 0

(d) y′ + tan(t2) y = f (t)

Ex. 1.1.2 Can you give an example of a fourth order linear equation? A sixth order
nonlinear equation?

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2. Direction fields

What is it?

How to draw it?

Ex. 1.2.1 y′ = t2 + y

What is an integral curve?

Trace the integral curve that passes through the point (1, 1).

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MATH 251 Work sheet / Things to know

Chapter 2

1. First order linear equations

Standard form:

Ex. 2.1.1 y′ + 9y = 6

Some, as the above example, could be solve by “re-arrangement”, but there is a general
method, that of integrating factor that solves this type of equations

Know the formulas of the integrating factor method. (When using them, first be sure that
the equation is in its standard form!)

Integrating factor: μ(t) =

General solution: y(t) =

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 Ex. 2.1.2 t3 y′ + 4t2y = 5e−2t

Standard form is:

μ(t) =

y(t) =

Ex. 2.1.3 (see Ex.1.2.1) y′ = t2 + y

Standard form is:

μ(t) =

y(t) =

Ex. 2.1.4 Use the integrating factor method to solve the equation in example 2.1.1.

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2. Initial Value Problems (I.V.P.)

What are the 2 components of an IVP?

Its solution(s), if exists, contains no arbitrary constant/coefficient: particular solution.

Know the difference between a general solution and a particular solution.

Ex. 2.2.1 Take the previous example t3 y′ + 4t2y = 5e−2t. Find its solution satisfying
(i) y(1) = 1

(ii) y(−1) = −1

The Existence and Uniqueness Theorem (for first order linear equations)

What is it?

How to find the largest interval (also known as the interval of validity) on which a
particular solution is guaranteed to exist uniquely?

Continue with the example above, find the largest interval on which the particular
solution is guaranteed to exist uniquely for each of parts (i) and (ii).

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3. Separable equations

The key to solving one is to rewrite the equation into the form

F(y) dy = G(x) dx

Then integrate both sides. Simplify if necessary − but be wary of division by zero!
(The form above is a way to identify the type, too. If a first order equation can be
rewritten into this form, then it is a separable equation. Otherwise, it is not.)

Ex. 2.3.1 (Ex. 2.1.1) The linear equation y′ + 9y = 6 is also separable. Why?

Implicit solution vs. explicit solution: How do they differ?

Ex. 2.3.2 y′ = x2y2 + x2, y(3) = 1.

How to separate?

Implicit solution is:

Explicit solution is:

Particular solution is, explicitly:

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 Ex. 2.3.3 Identify whether each equation below is separable. Solve the equation if it is
separable.

(a) y′ − xy = 5

(b) y′ = xy − 4x + y – 4

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4. Applications of first order equations

I. Solution mixing

Necessary information / parameters are: rate in, rate out, concentration in, initial
quantity of solute, and initial volume.

The volume is given by: S(t) =

The generic mixing equation is:

It is always a linear equation (sometimes it is separable as well).

Ex. 2.4.1 (Exam I, spring 2003) Certain bacteria cell contains 2 nl cytoplasm. This
bacterium is placed in a substance polluted with 3ng/nl of certain harmful chemical. The
bacterium exchanges fluids with its environment at a rate of 1/100 nl/s. That is, there is a
flow of 1/100 nl/s of the polluted substance into the bacterium, and the (well-mixed)
solution flows out of the bacterium at the same rate. Assume that the cytoplasm is
initially free of the chemical. (a) Find a formula for the amount of the chemical in the
cell at any given time t > 0. (b) The bacterium is going to die when the concentration of
the chemical reaches 3 ng/nl. When is this going to happen?

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Note that the equation in the previous example is both linear and separable. It can be
solved as either type using the appropriate method.

Ex. 2.4.2 A mixing tank is initially filled with 300 liters of pure methanol. Additional
methanol containing 10 grams per liter of iodine flows into the mixing tank at a rate of 5
liters per minute. The well-stirred iodine solution flows out of the vat at a rate of 6 liters
per minute. Find the amount of dissolved iodine in the mixing tank at any time t until the
tank is completely drained of the solution. What is the maximum amount of iodine
present in the tank during this process?

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II. Motion with air resistance

Necessary information / parameters: mass, drag coefficient, initial velocity

Simple linear equation model of an object undergoing free-fall:

Equation (of velocity):

How to find its displacement function?

Limiting velocity

What is it?

How to find it?

A nonlinear equation model of motion:

Equation:

It is a separable equation, solve it accordingly.

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III. Continuous compound interest

Necessary information / parameters: interest/growth rate, net transaction per unit

time, principal (initial amount)

Equation:

It is a linear equation. Make sure the rate and net transaction have the same unit of time.

Ex. 2.4.3 A college student has incurred $50000 in student loans. Upon graduation (t =
0), the loans are to be repaid in equal monthly payments over 15 years. Assume the
interest rate is fixed 5% per year, compounded continuously. What will his monthly
payment be?

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5. Autonomous equations and stability of equilibrium solutions

Autonomous equations:

What are they?

Every autonomous equation is always separable. Therefore, we know how to solve them.

Equilibrium solutions:

How to find them?

Stability classification

What are the 3 types of stability? What are their computational significances?

Know how to visualize stability using direction fields.

How to determine the stability of an equilibrium solution? (There are several methods.
Perhaps the easiest one to remember is a modified version of the first derivative test from
calculus.)

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 Ex. 2.5.1 Find and classify all equilibrium solutions of
y′ = (y − 1)(y – 4)2(y – 9)3.

Ex. 2.5.2 Find and classify all equilibrium solutions of

y′ = 1 – sin(2y).

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6. Exact equations

Standard form:
(with fine print!)

Be sure to review partial differentiation and integration before proceeding.

Verification: how to tell whether an equation is exact?

Ex. 2.6.1 Is the equation (2x – 2y) − (2x – 2y) y′ = 0 an exact equation? Why or why
not?

How to solve an exact equation?

Ex. 2.6.2 Verify that the equation is exact, then solve the IVP
tan y + (x sec2 y + cos y) y′ = 0, y(2) = π.

Verification:

Implicit solution:

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Ex. 2.6.3 Verify that the equation is exact, then solve the IVP
y2 cos(xy2) + 1 – 2xy–1 + (2xy cos(xy2) + x2y–2) y′ = 0, y(π) = –1.

Verification:

Implicit solution:

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