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Exercise 9.3 · Q7

Q.Solve the following differential equation: ylog⁡y dx−x dy=0y \log y \, dx - x \, dy = 0

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This is a first-order separable ODE. By separating variables and integrating, we get the general solution: log⁡y=Cx\boxed{\log y = Cx}.

Why Separation of Variables Works Here

The equation ylog⁡y dx−x dy=0y \log y \, dx - x \, dy = 0 is crying out for separation. Look at it: the dxdx term has ylog⁡yy \log y attached, and the dydy term has xx attached. That’s a dead giveaway — the variables are already nearly on opposite sides. We just need to rearrange so that everything with yy (including dydy) is on one side, and everything with xx (including dxdx) is on the other.

The core idea: if you can write a differential equation as f(y) dy=g(x) dxf(y) \, dy = g(x) \, dx, you can integrate both sides separately. That’s all separation of variables is — turning a tangled derivative relationship into two independent integrals.

Watch out

A common mistake is forgetting that log⁡y\log y here means the natural logarithm (base ee). In Indian exams, log⁡\log always means log⁡e\log_e unless specified otherwise. Also, note that y>0y > 0 is required for log⁡y\log y to be defined — we’re working in that domain.

Step-by-Step Solution

1. Rewrite the equation in standard form

Start with:

ylog⁡y dx−x dy=0y \log y \, dx - x \, dy = 0

Bring the dydy term to the other side:

ylog⁡y dx=x dyy \log y \, dx = x \, dy

2. Separate the variables

Divide both sides by x ylog⁡yx \, y \log y (assuming x≠0x \neq 0, y>0y > 0, y≠1y \neq 1 so log⁡y≠0\log y \neq 0):

dxx=dyylog⁡y\frac{dx}{x} = \frac{dy}{y \log y}

Now the variables are cleanly separated — everything in xx on the left, everything in yy on the right.

Tip

If you ever get stuck deciding what to divide by, ask: “What do I need to move to the other side?” Here, xx was with dydy, so divide by xx to free dydy. Then ylog⁡yy \log y was with dxdx, so divide by that to free dxdx.

3. Integrate both sides

∫dxx=∫dyylog⁡y\int \frac{dx}{x} = \int \frac{dy}{y \log y}

The left integral is standard:

∫dxx=log⁡∣x∣+C1\int \frac{dx}{x} = \log |x| + C_1

For the right integral, let u=log⁡yu = \log y. Then du=1ydydu = \frac{1}{y} dy, so:

∫dyylog⁡y=∫duu=log⁡∣u∣+C2=log⁡∣log⁡y∣+C2\int \frac{dy}{y \log y} = \int \frac{du}{u} = \log |u| + C_2 = \log |\log y| + C_2

Note

The substitution u=log⁡yu = \log y is the natural move here because the denominator has log⁡y\log y and the numerator has dyy\frac{dy}{y} — which is exactly dudu.

4. Combine constants and simplify

Equating the integrals:

log⁡∣x∣=log⁡∣log⁡y∣+C\log |x| = \log |\log y| + C …

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