Q.Solve the following differential equation: dxdy=(1+x2)(1+y2)
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Separation of Variables: From Intuition to Precision
Imagine you're baking a cake. The recipe says "mix the dry ingredients separately, then add the wet ones." You keep things that belong together together, and things that don't apart — until the right moment. Separation of Variables does exactly that for certain kinds of equations.
The Core Intuition
Some equations involve two different kinds of change happening at once. Think of a cup of hot coffee cooling down. The rate at which it cools depends on:
- The temperature difference between the coffee and the room (a function of time)
- The surface area of the cup (a function of shape, not time)
These two influences are tangled together in one equation. Separation of Variables is the mathematical trick that untangles them — it lets you handle the time part first, then the space part separately.
The Precise Statement
Separation of Variables applies to ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of the form:
dxdy=f(x)⋅g(y)
where the right-hand side is a product of a function of x alone and a function of y alone. The method works in three clean steps:
dxdy=f(x)⋅g(y)⟹g(y)1dy=f(x)dx
Step 1: Separate. Multiply both sides by dx and divide by g(y) (assuming g(y)=0). This moves all y's to one side and all x's to the other.
Step 2: Integrate. Put an integral sign on both sides:
∫g(y)1dy=∫f(x)dx
Step 3: Solve. Evaluate both integrals and solve for y explicitly if possible.
You cannot separate if the equation is not in product form. For example, dxdy=x+y cannot be separated — the sum x+y is not a product f(x)g(y).
Why This Works
The justification is the chain rule in reverse. From dxdy=f(x)g(y), rewrite it as:
g(y)1dxdy=f(x)
Now integrate both sides with respect to x:
∫g(y)1dxdydx=∫f(x)dx
The left side is a substitution waiting to happen: dxdydx=dy, so you get ∫g(y)1dy. That's the entire trick — the chain rule dressed up.
A Concrete Example
Solve dxdy=2xy, with y(0)=3.
Step 1: Separate. Divide both sides by y (assuming y=0):
y1dy=2xdx
Step 2: Integrate.
∫y1dy=∫2xdx⟹log∣y∣=x2+C
Step 3: Solve for y.
∣y∣=ex2+C=eC⋅ex2
Let A=±eC (absorbing the absolute value): y=Aex2. Now use y(0)=3: 3=Ae0=A, so A=3.
Final answer: y=3ex2 …
Concept: Separation of Variables — rearrange so all y terms are on one side and all x terms on the other, then integrate.
Step 1: Separate the variables:
1+y2dy=(1+x2)dx
Step 2: Integrate both sides:
∫1+y2dy=∫(1+x2)dx
Step 3: Evaluate the integrals: …
This is a separable first‑order ODE. By separating variables and integrating both sides, we obtain tan−1y=x+3x3+C, so the general solution is y=tan(x+3x3+C).
The key insight: the right‑hand side is a product of a function of x alone and a function of y alone. That’s the hallmark of a separable differential equation. Instead of trying to solve it as a whole, we can “split” the derivative into two separate integrals — one over y, one over x — and then recombine.
Let’s walk through it.
- Rewrite the equation in differential form The derivative dxdy is a ratio. Multiply both sides by dx to get
dy=(1+x2)(1+y2)dx.
Now divide both sides by (1+y2) (which is never zero for real y, so no special cases are lost):
1+y2dy=(1+x2)dx.
The variables are now separated — all y’s on the left, all x’s on the right.
- Integrate both sides The left side is a standard integral:
∫1+y2dy=tan−1y+C1.
The right side is a simple polynomial:
∫(1+x2)dx=x+3x3+C2.
Combine the two constants into a single constant C=C2−C1:
tan−1y=x+3x3+C.
- Solve for y explicitly Take the tangent of both sides. Since tan(tan−1y)=y, we get y=tan(x+3x3+C). …
Method: Separation into two products (variables separable)
Use this when dxdy=f(x)g(y) splits cleanly into a product of an x-only factor and a y-only factor — the defining case for separation of variables.
Steps
Step 1: Separate the two factors
g(y)dy=f(x)dx.
Divide by g(y) and multiply by dx.
Step 2: Integrate each side with its standard antiderivative
∫g(y)dy=∫f(x)dx+C.
Here 1+y21 integrates to tan−1y, and a polynomial in x integrates term by term. …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Trying to separate a sum instead of a product
Why it's wrong: separation needs a product f(x)g(y); here it genuinely is (1+x2)(1+y2), but students sometimes distribute it into a sum and get stuck. Correct approach: keep it as a product and divide by 1+y2.
Mistake 2: Forgetting that ∫1+y2dy=tan−1y
Why it's wrong: using a wrong antiderivative (e.g. a log) breaks the solution. Correct approach: recall the standard inverse-tangent integral. …
Showing the 12 most recent of 44 on this concept.
- CBSE 20241 markMCQQ.The solution of the differential equation dxdy=1−x+y−xy is : (A) log∣1+y∣=x−2x2+c (B) log∣1+y∣=−x+2x2+c (C) ey=x−2x2+c (D) e(1+y)=−x+2x2+c
›Reveal solutionSolution
The equation dxdy=1−x+y−xy can be factored and solved by separation of variables. The correct solution is log∣1+y∣=x−2x2+c, which corresponds to option (A).
The key to solving this is noticing that the right-hand side can be grouped into factors, each depending on only one variable. That’s the signal to use Separation of Variables — a method where we rewrite the equation so that all y terms are on one side and all x terms on the other, then integrate both sides.
Let’s see why this works here.
- Factor the right-hand side The given equation is:
dxdy=1−x+y−xy
Group the terms cleverly:
dxdy=(1−x)+y(1−x)
Factor out (1−x):
dxdy=(1−x)(1+y)
Now the derivative equals a product of a function of x and a function of y. That’s the perfect setup for separation.
- Separate the variables Multiply both sides by dx and divide by (1+y) (assuming 1+y=0 for now):
1+ydy=(1−x)dx
The variables are now isolated — y on the left, x on the right.
- Integrate both sides
∫1+ydy=∫(1−x)dx
The left integral is a standard logarithmic form:
log∣1+y∣=x−2x2+C
where C is the constant of integration. …
- CBSE 2026Set 65/2/11 markMCQQ.The general solution of the differential equation dxdy=xy is (A) logy=logx+C (B) y+x=C (C) y−x=C (D) logy+logx=C
›Reveal solutionSolution
This is a separable first-order ODE. Separate variables, integrate, and simplify to get y−x=C, which is option (C).
The key idea: whenever you see dxdy expressed as a ratio of functions of y and x alone, you can "separate" them — move all y terms to one side and all x terms to the other — then integrate each side independently. That's exactly what we have here: dxdy=xy.
Notice that y depends only on y, and x only on x. So the equation is already in separable form — we just need to rearrange it properly.
- Separate the variables. Multiply both sides by dx and divide by y:
ydy=xdx
This is valid as long as x>0 and y>0 (so the square roots are defined and non-zero).
- Integrate both sides. Each side is a standard power integral:
∫y−1/2dy=∫x−1/2dx
1/2y1/2=1/2x1/2+C1
which simplifies to:
2y=2x+C1
- Simplify the constant. Divide through by 2:
y=x+2C1
Let C=2C1 (just renaming the arbitrary constant). Then:
y−x=C
Watch outA common mistake is to forget the constant of integration or to combine the two integration constants incorrectly. When you integrate both sides, you get a constant on each side — but they can be merged into a single constant. Also, don't lose the factor of 2 from the power rule: ∫u−1/2du=2u1/2, not u1/2. …
- CBSE 2026Set 65/3/11 markMCQQ.Questions number 19 and 20 are Assertion-Reason based questions. Two statements are given, one labelled Assertion (A) and the other labelled Reason (R). Select the correct answer from the codes: (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A). (B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A). (C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false. (D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true. Assertion (A): A particular solution of the differential equation dxdy=ex+y is ex+e−y=−2. Reason (R): The general solution of the differential equation dxdy=ex+y is ex+e−y=C.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Separate variables in dxdy=ex+y to find the general solution ex+e−y=C; the particular solution ex+e−y=−2 is impossible because the left side is always positive while the right is negative.
The differential equation dxdy=ex+y is separable. The key insight is to rewrite the exponential sum in the exponent as a product: ex+y=ex⋅ey. This lets us collect all x-terms with dx and all y-terms with dy.
Solving the differential equation
- Separate the variables.
dxdy=ex⋅ey
Rearranging:
eydy=exdx
or equivalently,
e−ydy=exdx
- Integrate both sides.
∫e−ydy=∫exdx
The left side gives −e−y and the right gives ex:
−e−y=ex+C1
where C1 is an arbitrary constant.
- Rearrange to standard form. Multiply through by −1:
e−y=−ex−C1
or equivalently,
ex+e−y=−C1
Renaming −C1 as C (still an arbitrary constant):
ex+e−y=C
This is the general solution, so Reason (R) is true.
Checking the particular solution
Now examine the proposed particular solution ex+e−y=−2.
For this to be valid, we need C=−2 in the general solution. But notice:
- ex>0 for all real x …
- CBSE 2026Set CX1 markMCQQ.The solution of dxdy=ex+y is:(a) e−y=ex+c(b) ex+e−y=c(c) e−x−e−y=c(d) e−x+e−y=c
›Reveal solutionSolution
The equation is variable-separable; separating and integrating gives ex+e−y=c — option (b).
Why separate? Since ex+y=exey, the right side factors into an x-part and a y-part, so the variables separate cleanly.
dxdy=exey⇒e−ydy=exdx
…
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.The solution of differential equation dxdy=ex+y is(a) ex+e−y=k(b) ex+ey=k(c) e−x+ey=k(d) e−x+e−y=k
›Reveal solutionSolution
Separate variables in dxdy=ex+y: ∫e−ydy=∫exdx⇒ex+e−y=k.
Write dxdy=ex+y=ex⋅ey and separate:
e−ydy=exdx.
…
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.The solution of differential equation xdxdy=coty is(a) xcosy=k(b) xtany=k(c) xsecy=k(d) xsiny=k
›Reveal solutionSolution
Separate variables: ∫tanydy=∫xdx⇒log∣secy∣=log∣x∣+c⇒xcosy=k.
From xdxdy=coty, separate:
cotydy=xdx⇒tanydy=xdx.
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.The general solution of the differential equation dxdy=1+x21+y2 is __________.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Separate variables and integrate both sides using the standard integral of 1/(1+t2).
1+y2dy=1+x2dx
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The general solution of the differential equation dxdy=ex+y is:(a) ex+e−y=c(b) ex+ey=c(c) e−x+ey=c(d) e−x+e−y=c
›Reveal solutionSolution
Separate variables using ex+y=ex⋅ey and integrate both sides.
dxdy=ex+y=ex⋅ey
Separating variables: e−ydy=exdx
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Find the general solution of the differential equation \frac{dy}{dx} = (1 + x^2)(1 + y^2).
›Reveal solutionSolution
tan−1y=x+3x3+c.
Concept. A separable differential equation dxdy=g(x)h(y) is solved by collecting all y-terms on one side and all x-terms on the other, then integrating both sides.
Steps.
- dxdy=(1+x2)(1+y2).
- Separate: 1+y2dy=(1+x2)dx. …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The solution of the differential equation (x2+1)dxdy=1, y(1)=2π is(a) y=tan−1x+3π(b) y=tan−1x(c) y=tan−1x+6π(d) y=tan−1x+4π
›Reveal solutionSolution
Integrating gives y=tan−1x+C; the condition fixes C=4π.
Step 1: (x2+1)dxdy=1⇒dy=x2+1dx.
Step 2: Integrating, y=tan−1x+C.
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The general solution to the differential equation yydx−xdy=0 is:(a) y=cx(b) x=cy2(c) xy=c(d) y=cx2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Separate variables and integrate.
yydx−xdy=0⟹ydx=xdy⟹xdx=ydy
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The general solution of the differential equation dxdy=ex+y is(a) ex+ey=C(b) e−x+ey=C(c) ex+e−y=C(d) e−x+e−y=C
›Reveal solutionSolution
Separate variables (e−ydy=exdx) and integrate both sides.
dxdy=ex+y=ex⋅ey
Separating variables:
e−ydy=exdx
Integrating both sides: …
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