Q.Solve the following differential equation: (x+y)dxdy=1
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Integrating Factor Method
Some first-order differential equations refuse to separate — you cannot get all the y's on one side and all the x's on the other. The integrating factor method is the standard trick for a special (and very common) family of these: the linear first-order equation. The idea is beautifully simple: multiply the whole equation by one cleverly chosen function, and the messy left-hand side collapses into a single derivative that we can integrate directly.
The Standard Form
An equation is linear of first order if it can be written as
dxdy+Py=Q
where P and Q are functions of x alone (or constants). Notice y and dxdy appear only to the first power, and never multiplied together — that is what "linear" means here.
Always rearrange into this exact shape first. The coefficient of dxdy must be 1 before you read off P and Q.
The Integrating Factor
The magic multiplier is
I.F.=e∫Pdx.
Why this one? Multiply the equation by e∫Pdx:
e∫Pdxdxdy+Pe∫Pdxy=Qe∫Pdx.
By the product rule, the left-hand side is exactly dxd(y⋅e∫Pdx), because the derivative of e∫Pdx is Pe∫Pdx. So the equation becomes
dxd(y⋅I.F.)=Q⋅I.F.
The left side is now a single derivative — that is the whole point of choosing this factor.
The Solution
Integrate both sides with respect to x:
y⋅I.F.=∫(Q⋅I.F.)dx+C.
This is the general solution. In words: (solution) × (integrating factor) = integral of (Q × integrating factor), plus a constant.
A Quick Illustration
For dxdy+x1y=x, we read P=x1, Q=x. Then ∫Pdx=logx, so I.F.=elogx=x. The solution is
y⋅x=∫x⋅xdx+C=3x3+C.
--- …
The equation is not linear in y, but it is linear in x if we treat x as a function of y.
Flip the derivative: (x+y)dxdy=1⟹dydx=x+y, i.e. dydx−x=y.
Integrating factor: μ=e∫(−1)dy=e−y. …
Treat x as a function of y: the equation becomes linear, giving x=Cey−y−1.
Spotting the trick
Written as dxdy=x+y1 the equation is neither separable nor linear in y. But dydx=dy/dx1, so flipping the derivative turns it linear in x.
Set up
(x+y)dxdy=1⟹dydx=x+y⟹dydx−x=y.
This is dydx+P(y)x=Q(y) with P=−1, Q=y.
Integrating factor
μ(y)=e∫(−1)dy=e−y.
Multiply and integrate
dyd(xe−y)=ye−y.
By parts (u=y, dv=e−ydy),
∫ye−ydy=−ye−y−e−y+C.
So xe−y=−ye−y−e−y+C. …
Method: Flip to dydx when the equation is linear in x
If an equation is not linear in y but dydx turns out linear in x, treat x as the dependent variable.
Steps
Step 1: Test linearity both ways.
Try to write dxdy+Py=Q. If y appears non-linearly but the reciprocal dydx=dy/dx1 is linear in x, switch.
Step 2: Write the linear-in-x form.
dydx+P(y)x=Q(y). …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Trying to force the equation to be linear in y.
Why it's wrong: dxdy=x+y1 is not linear in y; flipping to dydx=x+y makes it linear in x. Correct approach: recognise linearity in x(y) and switch.
Mistake 2: Getting the integrating factor wrong from P=−1.
Why it's wrong: ∫(−1)dy=−y, so I.F. =e−y, not ey. Correct approach: exponentiate −y. …
Showing the 12 most recent of 14 on this concept.
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The general solution of the differential equation exdy+(yex+2x)dx=0 is ____.(a) y⋅ex+x2=C(b) y⋅ex−x2=C(c) x⋅ex+y2=C(d) x⋅ex−y2=C
›Reveal solutionSolution
Divide through by ex to get a linear ODE in y, then solve with an integrating factor of 1 (equation is already exact after simplification).
exdy+(yex+2x)dx=0⇒dxdy+y=−2xe−x. Integrating factor =e∫1dx=ex.
…
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The integrating factor of the differential equation (tan−1y−x)dy=(1+y2)dx is ____.(a) etan−1x(b) etan−1y(c) e−tan−1x(d) e−tan−1y
›Reveal solutionSolution
Rewrite as a linear equation in x (treating y as the independent variable) and find its integrating factor.
(tan−1y−x)dy=(1+y2)dx⇒dydx+1+y2x=1+y2tan−1y.
…
- GUJCET 2025Set 031 markMCQQ.The Integrating Factor of the differential equation x⋅dxdy+2y=x2, (x=0) is _____ (A) x21 (B) e−x (C) e−y (D) x2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Put in the form dxdy+P(x)y=Q(x) and use IF=e∫Pdx.
Dividing by x: dxdy+x2y=x, so P=x2 and …
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The integrating factor of the differential equation (1−y2)dydx+yx=ay, (−1<y<1), = ____.(a) y2−11(b) 1−y21(c) y2−11(d) 1−y21
›Reveal solutionSolution
Write the equation in standard linear form dydx+Px=Q and compute I.F.=e∫Pdy.
Divide by (1−y2): dydx+1−y2yx=1−y2ay, so P=1−y2y.
Let u=1−y2, du=−2ydy: ∫1−y2ydy=−21ln∣1−y2∣.
…
- GUJCET 2024Set 131 markMCQQ.The Integrating Factor of the differential equation (tan−1y−x)dy=(1+y2)dx is __________. (A) etan−1y (B) 1+y21 (C) e1+y21 (D) tan−1y
›Reveal solutionSolution
Treated as linear in x, the integrating factor is e∫1+y2dy=etan−1y.
Steps. From (tan−1y−x)dy=(1+y2)dx,
dydx=1+y2tan−1y−x ⇒ dydx+1+y2x=1+y2tan−1y. …
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The integrating factor of the differential equation xdxdy+2y=x2 (x=0) is ______.(a) 2logx(b) logx(c) x2(d) x2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Write the equation in standard linear form dxdy+Py=Q and use IF=e∫Pdx.
Divide by x: dxdy+x2y=x, so P=x2.
…
- GUJCET 2023Set 091 markMCQQ.The integrating factor of the differential equation dxdy+ytanx=secx is : (A) tanx (B) esecx (C) cosx (D) secx
›Reveal solutionSolution
[!TLDR] Max R = longest length ÷ smallest area, i.e. current along the 10 cm length entering the 1×21 cm faces.
Concept
Resistance of a uniform conductor is R=AρL, where L is the length along the current direction and A is the perpendicular cross-sectional area. To maximise R, choose the connection giving the greatest L and the smallest A.
Solution
The rod is 10cm×1cm×21cm. The three ways to connect across opposite faces:
- Across 10×1 cm faces: L=21 cm, A=10 cm2 → R∝0.5/10=0.05. …
- GUJCET 2022Set 081 markMCQQ.The integrating factor of the differential equation xdxdy−y=x2 is ______. (A) e−x (B) x1 (C) ex (D) x
›Reveal solutionSolution
Divide by x to get dxdy−xy=x; then IF=e∫(−1/x)dx=x1.
Concept. xdxdy−y=x2⇒dxdy−x1y=x. Here P(x)=−x1, so …
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The integrating factor of the differential equation xdxdy+2y=x2logx is ___.(a) e2x(b) x2(c) ex(d) x
›Reveal solutionSolution
Put in standard linear form and compute IF =e∫Pdx.
xdxdy+2y=x2logx⇒dxdy+x2y=xlogx.
…
- GUJCET 2020Set 071 markMCQQ.Integrating factor of differential equation (tan−1y−x)dy=(1+y2)dx is ________. (A) e1+y2 (B) ey (C) etan−1x (D) etan−1y
›Reveal solutionSolution
Treat x as the dependent variable; the integrating factor is e∫1+y2dy=etan−1y.
Concept: (tan−1y−x)dy=(1+y2)dx gives
dydx=1+y2tan−1y−x ⇒ dydx+1+y21x=1+y2tan−1y. …
- GSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2020Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Integrating factor of the differential equation ydx−(x+2y2)dy=0 is ___.(a) −1/y(b) −y(c) y(d) 1/y
›Reveal solutionSolution
Rearrange into the linear form dydx+P(y)x=Q(y) (treating x as the dependent variable), then compute I.F.=e∫Pdy.
ydx−(x+2y2)dy=0⇒ydx=(x+2y2)dy⇒dydx=yx+2y⇒dydx−y1x=2y. …
- GUJCET 2019Set 171 markMCQQ.The integrating factor (I.F.) of differential equation dxdy(1+x)−xy=1−x is . (A) (x−1)e−x (B) (1+x)e−x (C) (1+x)ex (D) (1−x)e−x
›Reveal solutionSolution
Reduce to dxdy−1+xxy=1+x1−x; I.F. =e∫Pdx.
Concept. Divide by (1+x): P(x)=−1+xx.
Steps.
- ∫1+xxdx=∫(1−1+x1)dx=x−log(1+x). …
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