Determine whether equation is exact.

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In summary, the equation is exact if and only if $A(x,y) = B(x,y)$, and the solution is $\displaystyle c$.
  • #1
alane1994
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I have several examples in my book for this problem, but I don't understand what they are saying. I guess I don't get the format. I will post up the example I think applies to the problem, and if one of you could explain the example that would be fantastic.

Determine whether each of the equations is exact. If it is exact, find the solution.
\(3x^2-2xy+2)+(6y^2-x^2+3)y\prime=0\)
This is my problem.

Example Problem.
Solve the differential equation
\[2x+y^2+2xyy\prime=0\]
The equation is neither linear nor separable, so the methods suitable for those types of equations are not applicable here. However observe that the function \(\psi(x,y)=x^2+xy^2\) has the property that
\[2x+y^2=\dfrac{\partial\psi}{\partial x},~~~2xy=\dfrac{\partial\psi}{\partial y}\]
Therefore, the differential equation can be written as
\[\dfrac{\partial\psi}{\partial x} +\dfrac{\partial\psi}{\partial y}\dfrac{dy}{dx}=0\]
Assuming that y is a function of x, we can use the chain rule to write the left side of Eq.3 as \(\dfrac{d\psi(x,y)}{dx}\). Then Eq.3 has the form
\[\dfrac{d\psi}{dx}(x,y)=\dfrac{d}{dx}(x^2+xy^2)=0\]
By integrating Eq.4 we obtain
\[\psi(x,y)=x^2+xy^2=c\]
where c is an arbitrary constant. the level curves of \(\psi(x,y)\) are the integral of curves of Eq.1. Solutions of Eq.1 are defined implicitly by Eq.5.
My main questions are what is with the notation of \(\text{arbitrary holder}(x,y)\)?
And, just some clarification would be fantastic.
 
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  • #2
Hi alane!

Zooming in on your example problem first.

Note that when you integrate $2x+y^2$ with respect to x, you get $x^2 +xy^2 + C(y)$.
I have written $C(y)$ here to indicate a function that only depends on y.
It represents the usual integration constant that vanishes when differentiating with respect to x.

And when we integrate $2xy$ with respect to y, we get $xy^2 + D(x)$, where $D(x)$ is the integration constant that can still be a function of x, but not of y.

See the similarity?
Can you perhaps find functions $C(y)$ and $D(x)$ such that these 2 expressions become the same?
If so, let's call it $\psi(x,y)$ and look back to how it relates to the original differential equation...
 
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  • #3
alane1994 said:
I have several examples in my book for this problem, but I don't understand what they are saying. I guess I don't get the format. I will post up the example I think applies to the problem, and if one of you could explain the example that would be fantastic.

Determine whether each of the equations is exact. If it is exact, find the solution.

\(3x^2-2xy+2)+(6y^2-x^2+3)y\prime=0\)

This is my problem.

A first order ODE in the form...

$\displaystyle y^{ '}= - \frac{A(x,y)}{B(x,y)}\ (1)$

... is called 'exact' if ...

$\displaystyle \frac{\partial A}{\partial y}= \frac{\partial B}{\partial x}\ (2)$

In this case the solution of (1) is...

$\displaystyle \int_{x_{0}}^{x} A (u,y)\ du + \int_{y_{0}}^{y} B(x,v)\ dv = c\ (3)$

... where $(x_{0}, y_{0}$ is a point where A and B are defined and c is an arbitrary constant. In Your case is $\displaystyle A = 3 x^{2} - 2 x y + 2$, $B = 6 y^{2} - x^{2} + 3$ and the (2) is verified, so that the (3) becomes...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{x} (3 u^{2} - 2 u y +2)\ du + \int_{0}^{y} (6 v^{2} - x^{2} + 3)\ dv = c\ (4)$

The integration of (4) is left to You...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 

FAQ: Determine whether equation is exact.

What does it mean for an equation to be exact?

An equation is considered exact if it can be written in the form of two functions, where the derivative of one function is equal to the other function's coefficient. This means that the equation can be solved using simple algebraic manipulation.

How do you determine if an equation is exact?

To determine if an equation is exact, you must first check if it can be written in the form of two functions with the derivative of one function equal to the other function's coefficient. If this is the case, the equation is exact. If not, further analysis and manipulation may be needed to determine if the equation is exact.

What are the properties of an exact equation?

An exact equation has the property that its solution does not depend on the order in which the variables are integrated. In other words, the solution remains the same regardless of which variable is treated as the independent variable.

Can an equation be both exact and non-exact?

No, an equation cannot be both exact and non-exact. It is either one or the other. If an equation is not exact, it may be possible to manipulate it into an exact form by multiplying by an appropriate integrating factor.

What is the importance of determining whether an equation is exact?

Determining whether an equation is exact is important because it allows for a simpler and more efficient method of solving the equation. Exact equations can be solved using basic algebraic methods, while non-exact equations may require more advanced techniques such as integrating factors. In addition, knowing whether an equation is exact can provide insight into its properties and behavior.

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