Q.The degree of the differential equation is: (A) (B) (C) (D) not defined
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →The degree of a differential equation is defined only when the equation is a polynomial in the derivatives. Here, the term is non-polynomial, so the degree is not defined. The correct option is (D).
The degree of a differential equation is a precise, formal property — it is not just the highest power of the highest derivative you see. For the degree to exist, the equation must be a polynomial in all the derivatives that appear. That means every derivative term (like , , etc.) must be raised only to a non-negative integer power, and no transcendental functions (sine, cosine, exponential, log) can wrap around any derivative.
Here, the equation is:
The left-hand side is fine: and are polynomial in and . But the right-hand side contains — the sine of the first derivative. That is not a polynomial in ; it is a transcendental function of . So the equation as a whole is not a polynomial in the derivatives.
Because the definition of degree requires a polynomial form, the degree simply does not exist here.
Let’s walk through the reasoning step by step.
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Recall the definition of degree.
The degree of a differential equation is the power of the highest-order derivative, provided the equation is a polynomial in all the derivatives. If any derivative appears inside a non-polynomial function (like , , , , etc.), the degree is not defined.
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Identify the highest-order derivative.
The highest derivative present is (second order). It appears as , which is polynomial. So the order is , but that is not what we are asked.
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Check the condition for degree. …
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