Q.Solve the following differential equation:
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →This is a first-order separable ODE. By separating variables and integrating, we get the general solution: .
Why Separation of Variables Works Here
The equation is crying out for separation. Look at it: the term has attached, and the term has attached. That’s a dead giveaway — the variables are already nearly on opposite sides. We just need to rearrange so that everything with (including ) is on one side, and everything with (including ) is on the other.
The core idea: if you can write a differential equation as , you can integrate both sides separately. That’s all separation of variables is — turning a tangled derivative relationship into two independent integrals.
A common mistake is forgetting that here means the natural logarithm (base ). In Indian exams, always means unless specified otherwise. Also, note that is required for to be defined — we’re working in that domain.
Step-by-Step Solution
1. Rewrite the equation in standard form
Start with:
Bring the term to the other side:
2. Separate the variables
Divide both sides by (assuming , , so ):
Now the variables are cleanly separated — everything in on the left, everything in on the right.
If you ever get stuck deciding what to divide by, ask: “What do I need to move to the other side?” Here, was with , so divide by to free . Then was with , so divide by that to free .
3. Integrate both sides
The left integral is standard:
For the right integral, let . Then , so:
The substitution is the natural move here because the denominator has and the numerator has — which is exactly .
4. Combine constants and simplify
Equating the integrals:
…
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