- #1
fluidistic
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Homework Statement
I must solve [itex]xy'+y+x^4y^4e^x=0[/itex].
Homework Equations
Bernoulli's.
The Attempt at a Solution
I divided the original DE by x to get [itex]y'+y \left ( \frac{1}{x} \right )=-x^3e^xy^4[/itex].
Now let [itex]z=y^{-3} \Rightarrow z'=-3y^{-3}y'[/itex].
I then multiplied the DE by [itex]-3y^{-4}[/itex] to reduces the DE to [itex]z'-\frac{3}{x}z=3x^3e^x[/itex]. This is a first order linear DE so I should be able to solve it via the integrating factor method, however this doesn't work out for me.
The integrating factor is [itex]e^{\int -3 /x dx}=x^{-3}[/itex]. So that the general solution of this DE (the z's one) should be [itex]z=-e^xx^3+Cx^3[/itex].
So that [itex]z'=-e^xx^3-3e^xx^2+3Cx^2[/itex].
But then when I replace z and z' into [itex]z'-\frac{3}{x}z[/itex] I get that it's worth [itex]-e^xx^3[/itex] rather than [itex]3x^3e^x[/itex]. So it seems that I have a "-3" missing factor. I've rechecked all the algebra like 3 times, including now by typing this post and I still don't see where my mistake lies. I'm almost 100% sure it's in the integrating factor method but I really don't see it. I've even reopened Boas' mathematical methods book for the integrating factor method and I feel I've done it right.
Thanks for all help!