Solving a First-Order Nonlinear ODE: A Scientific Approach

In summary, the student attempted to factor the equation but was unsuccessful. They then tried using substitution but were unsuccessful. They later found an error and will complete the solution later.
  • #1
MednataMiza
43
0

Homework Statement


We have the equation:
[tex] y'(x)^2+2 (x+1) \left(y'(x)+x\right)+2 y(x)+2 x=0 [/tex]

2. The attempt at a solution
None. I don't even know how to proceed with this problem, except for, of course, expansion.
I tried the factorization method, but no luck here. I have a feeling I need to use substitution, buuut ...

Any clue is helpful :)

Thank you !
 
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  • #2
i plugged it into wolfram alpha, and it did not come up with an analytic solution. So I think your problem cannot be nicely solved. Did your teacher give any advice for this problem? Maybe you are supposed to give an indication of the general behaviour of the solution in the x,y phase space, rather than give an exact solution?
 
  • #3
The first thing I did after I spent 1 hour trying to figure out what to do was to plug it in into WA and, yes, the same result.
Nope, he just said : "I hope I wrote that down correctly" :D and the problem is "Solve the equation". No hints, no advices ...
 
  • #4
This equation is too much for WolframAlpha. Mathematica finds a couple of solutions in the form ##F_+(x,y(x)) = C_+,~F_-(x,y(x)) = C_-##, for constant C's, involving some logarithms and square roots. The functions are also complex, but it looks like that's just because Mathematica chose to write ##\sqrt{-1+y(x)}## in several places instead of ##\sqrt{1-y(x)}##.

Unforuntately, it's not obvious to me how mathematica might have found this solution, beyond taking a square root at some point.
 
  • #5
Tried with the regular version of Mathematica, too :) The thing is we've only used change of variables so far and just for the Bernoulli equations, so there must be a trick to reduce the degree ..
 
  • #6
MednataMiza said:

Homework Statement


We have the equation:
[tex] y'(x)^2+2 (x+1) \left(y'(x)+x\right)+2 y(x)+2 x=0 [/tex]

2. The attempt at a solution
None. I don't even know how to proceed with this problem, except for, of course, expansion.
I tried the factorization method, but no luck here. I have a feeling I need to use substitution, buuut ...

Any clue is helpful :)

Thank you !

Ain't that a quadratic in y'? Can't use the quadratic formula?
 
  • #7
The strange thing is, this equation has a real plot: Click here
If did not made a silly mistake somewhere along the road :D
 
Last edited:
  • #8
MednataMiza said:
The strange this is, this equation has a real plot: Click here
Which looks like this:
Click here
If did not made a silly mistake somewhere along the road :D

I don't follow your work. In one line you have ##y'(x)## terms, and in the following line you introduce ##D_1##, which involves only y(x), and your y'(x) terms have disappeared. Were you trying to complete the square in y', as jackmell suggested? If not, you should try that. If that is what you were trying to do, perhaps you should review completing the square? Or explain to us what you were trying to do?
 
  • #9
I found an error, but I will complete the solution later, because I have a test ATM.
 

FAQ: Solving a First-Order Nonlinear ODE: A Scientific Approach

What is a first-order nonlinear ODE?

A first-order nonlinear ODE, or ordinary differential equation, is a mathematical equation that describes the relationship between a function and its derivatives. It contains only one independent variable and involves nonlinear terms, meaning that the function and its derivatives are not proportional to each other.

How do you solve a first-order nonlinear ODE?

The solution to a first-order nonlinear ODE can be found using various methods, such as separation of variables, substitution, or integrating factors. However, for more complex equations, numerical methods may be necessary to find an approximate solution.

What are some real-life applications of first-order nonlinear ODEs?

First-order nonlinear ODEs are used to model many physical phenomena, such as population growth, chemical reactions, and electrical circuits. They are also used in economics, biology, and engineering to describe systems with changing variables over time.

How do first-order nonlinear ODEs differ from first-order linear ODEs?

The main difference between first-order nonlinear ODEs and first-order linear ODEs is that the former contains nonlinear terms, while the latter only contains linear terms. This means that the solution to a nonlinear ODE may be more complex and difficult to find than a linear ODE.

Can first-order nonlinear ODEs have multiple solutions?

Yes, first-order nonlinear ODEs can have multiple solutions. This is because they may have more than one initial condition or may have different forms of solutions depending on the values of the parameters in the equation. It is important to check for multiple solutions when solving a first-order nonlinear ODE.

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