Q.Verify: ∫x2+3x2x+3dx=log∣x2+3x∣+C
Concept understanding — Verification of Solution
Verifying a Solution of a Differential Equation
A function y=ϕ(x) is called a solution of a differential equation if, when you substitute it and its derivatives into the equation, the two sides become equal for every x in the domain. Verification is the act of carrying out that substitution and checking that it holds as an identity.
The useful point: you do not have to solve the equation to verify a candidate. You are only checking a function that is already handed to you — which is exactly how many exam questions are phrased: "Show that … is a solution of …."
The steps
- From the given y=ϕ(x), compute exactly the derivatives that appear in the equation.
- Substitute y and those derivatives into the left-hand side.
- Simplify and check that it equals the right-hand side for all x (an identity, not just at one point).
Example 1
Verify that y=e−3x is a solution of dx2d2y+dxdy−6y=0.
Here y′=−3e−3x and y′′=9e−3x. Substituting:
9e−3x+(−3e−3x)−6e−3x=(9−3−6)e−3x=0.
The left side is 0 for every x, so y=e−3x is a solution.
Example 2 (a solution with constants)
Verify that y=acosx+bsinx satisfies dx2d2y+y=0 for any constants a,b.
Since y′′=−acosx−bsinx=−y, we get y′′+y=0. It holds for all a,b, so this two-constant family is a solution.
Verification links your answer back to the definition of a solution: a function is a solution not because of how you found it, but because it makes the differential equation true. If the substitution does not reduce to an identity, the function is simply not a solution.
Verifying that a given function solves a differential equation is explicitly listed as an exercise type in the NCERT Class 12 Mathematics textbook's Differential Equations chapter, and "verify the solution of differential equation examples" is a common CBSE and JEE Main search. This is often the easiest full-mark question in the chapter once the substitution steps are practiced a few times.
Verify by differentiating the right side and checking it equals the integrand.
Let F(x)=log∣x2+3x∣+C. With u=x2+3x and u′=2x+3,
F′(x)=x2+3x1⋅(2x+3)=x2+3x2x+3.
This is exactly the integrand — note the numerator 2x+3 is precisely the derivative of the denominator x2+3x, the hallmark of a ∫uu′dx=log∣u∣ form.
True. dxdlog∣x2+3x∣=x2+3x2x+3, so the given result is correct.
True. The numerator is the derivative of the denominator, so ∫x2+3x2x+3dx=log∣x2+3x∣+C; differentiating the right side confirms it.
Whenever an integrand has the shape u(x)u′(x), its antiderivative is log∣u(x)∣. Verifying is even simpler: differentiate the claimed answer and check you land back on the integrand.
Spot the pattern
Here u=x2+3x, and u′=2x+3 — which is exactly the numerator. So the integrand is uu′, and the natural antiderivative is log∣u∣=log∣x2+3x∣.
Differentiate to confirm
Let F(x)=log∣x2+3x∣+C. By the chain rule,
F′(x)=x2+3x1⋅dxd(x2+3x)=x2+3x2x+3.
This is the original integrand, and both are defined for x=0,−3, so the domains match.
In calculus log denotes the natural logarithm log; the derivative of log∣u∣ is u′/u, which is what makes the check work.
True. dxdlog∣x2+3x∣=x2+3x2x+3, confirming ∫x2+3x2x+3dx=log∣x2+3x∣+C.
Method: Verifying ∫f(x)f′(x)dx=log∣f(x)∣+C by differentiation
Use this for "Verify" questions where the proposed answer is a logarithm — and, more generally, to recognise integrands that are a derivative-over-function.
Steps
Step 1: Differentiate the claimed log∣f(x)∣.
dxdlog∣f(x)∣=f(x)f′(x).
This standard result is the whole engine of the check.
Step 2: Compute f′(x) for the specific f.
Identify f(x) (here f=x2+3x) and differentiate it (f′=2x+3).
Step 3: Form the ratio and compare with the integrand.
Write f(x)f′(x) and check it matches the given fraction exactly.
Step 4: State the verdict.
If they agree, the antiderivative is verified. The transferable insight: whenever an integrand's numerator is the derivative of its denominator, the integral is log of the denominator — spotting this pattern is faster than partial fractions or substitution.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Not checking that the numerator is exactly f′(x).
Why it's wrong: the log∣f∣ rule applies only when the top is precisely the derivative of the bottom; here dxd(x2+3x)=2x+3 matches, but a different numerator would need adjusting. Correct approach: differentiate the denominator and confirm it equals the numerator.
Mistake 2: Forgetting the absolute value in log∣f(x)∣.
Why it's wrong: f(x)=x2+3x can be negative, so log(x2+3x) is undefined there; the modulus keeps the antiderivative valid on the whole domain. Correct approach: always write log∣x2+3x∣.
Mistake 3: Over-complicating with partial fractions.
Why it's wrong: splitting x2+3x2x+3 is unnecessary work when the numerator already equals the denominator's derivative. Correct approach: recognise the f′/f pattern and verify by differentiation directly.
- KCET 2020Set A-11 markMCQQ.If y=2xn+1+xn3, then x2dx2d2y is (A) 6n(n+1)y (B) n(n+1)y (C) xdxdy+y (D) y
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiate the power function twice, multiply by x2, and notice the result is n(n+1) times the original y.
Step 1 — Write y with negative exponents (so the power rule applies to both terms).
y=2xn+1+xn3=2xn+1+3x−n.
Step 2 — First derivative (power rule dxdxm=mxm−1):
dxdy=2(n+1)xn+3(−n)x−n−1=2(n+1)xn−3nx−n−1.
Step 3 — Second derivative:
dx2d2y=2(n+1)nxn−1−3n(−n−1)x−n−2=2n(n+1)xn−1+3n(n+1)x−n−2.
Step 4 — Multiply by x2 and factor.
x2dx2d2y=2n(n+1)xn+1+3n(n+1)x−n=n(n+1)[2xn+1+3x−n]=n(n+1)y.
The bracket is exactly the original y — that is the whole point of the question: y is a solution of the Euler–Cauchy equation x2y′′=n(n+1)y.
Quick check with n=1: y=2x2+3x−1, y′′=4+6x−3, so x2y′′=4x2+6x−1=2(2x2+3x−1)=2y=n(n+1)y since n(n+1)=2. ✓
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B) — n(n+1)y.
ANSWER: B
- COMEDK 2026Set 2026-A1 markMCQQ.The function x+y=tan−1y is the solution of which of the following differential equations? (A) y2y′−y2+1=0 (B) y2−2y′+1=0 (C) y2y′+y2+1=0 (D) y2y′′−2y′=0
›Reveal solutionSolution
Differentiating x+y=tan−1y gives y2y′+y2+1=0 — option (C).
Differentiate the relation x+y=tan−1y with respect to x:
1+y′=1+y21y′
Multiply both sides by (1+y2):
(1+y2)+(1+y2)y′=y′
(1+y2)+y′+y2y′−y′=0
1+y2+y2y′=0
Rearranging:
y2y′+y2+1=0
This is exactly option (C).
✓Final answerThe differential equation is y2y′+y2+1=0 — option (C).
- KCET 2022Set C-41 markMCQQ.If 3x+i(4x−y)=6−i where x and y are real numbers, then the values of x and y are respectively, (A) 2,4 (B) 2,9 (C) 3,4 (D) 3,9
›Reveal solutionSolution
Equate real and imaginary parts on the two sides of the complex equation and solve the resulting pair of linear equations.
Step 1 — The concept: equality of complex numbers.
If a+ib=c+id with a,b,c,d∈R, then a=c and b=d. This works because {1,i} is a basis of C over R: a real number can never equal a non-zero purely imaginary number, so the two components cannot compensate for one another.
Step 2 — Write both sides in the standard a+ib form.
3x+i(4x−y)=6+i(−1).
Here x,y are real, so 3x is the real part on the left and (4x−y) is the imaginary part.
Step 3 — Compare real parts.
3x=6⟹x=2.
Step 4 — Compare imaginary parts.
4x−y=−1.
Substituting x=2:
4(2)−y=−1⟹8−y=−1⟹y=9.
Step 5 — Check.
3(2)+i(4(2)−9)=6+i(8−9)=6−i ✓ — exactly the right-hand side.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B) — 2,9.
ANSWER: B
- KCET 2025Set A-11 markMCQQ.Consider the following statements : Statement (I): The set of all solutions of the linear inequalities 3x+8<17 and 2x+8≥12 are x<3 and x≥2 respectively. Statement (II): The common set of solutions of linear inequalities 3x+8<17 and 2x+8≥12 is {2,3} Which of the following is true? (A) Statement (I) is true but statement (II) is false (B) Statement (I) is false but statement (II) is true (C) Both the statements are true (D) Both the statements are false
›Reveal solutionSolution
Solve both inequalities (Statement I checks out), then note the common solution is the interval [2,3), not the two-element set {2,3} — so Statement II is false.
Step 1 — Solve the first inequality.
3x+8<17 ⟹ 3x<9 ⟹ x<3.
Step 2 — Solve the second inequality.
2x+8≥12 ⟹ 2x≥4 ⟹ x≥2.
So Statement (I) — "the solution sets are x<3 and x≥2 respectively" — is TRUE.
Step 3 — Find the common solution set.
Intersecting x<3 with x≥2:
2≤x<3i.e.x∈[2,3).
Step 4 — Why Statement (II) fails — two independent reasons.
Statement (II) claims the common set is {2,3}.
- It is not a two-element set. No domain restriction to integers is given, so x ranges over the reals. x=2.5 satisfies both (3(2.5)+8=15.5<17 ✓ and 2(2.5)+8=13≥12 ✓) yet is not in {2,3}. The solution is an uncountable interval.
- It wrongly includes 3. At x=3: 3(3)+8=17, and 17<17 is false. So 3 is excluded — the inequality is strict.
Hence Statement (II) is FALSE.
Step 5 — Combine.
(I) true, (II) false ⇒ option (A).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A) — Statement (I) is true but statement (II) is false.
ANSWER: A
- KCET 2022Set C-41 markMCQQ.If the standard deviation of the numbers −1,0,1,k is 5 where k>0, then k is equal to (A) 6 (B) 2310 (C) 26 (D) 435
›Reveal solutionSolution
Apply σ2=n∑xi2−xˉ2 to the four numbers, set it equal to (5)2=5, and solve the resulting quadratic in k.
Step 1 — Set up the data
The observations are −1,0,1,k, so n=4.
∑xi=−1+0+1+k=k⇒xˉ=4k
∑xi2=(−1)2+02+12+k2=2+k2
Step 2 — Use the computational formula for variance
The formula σ2=n∑xi2−xˉ2 (mean of squares minus square of the mean) is the efficient route here, because xˉ is not a whole number and the deviation form would be messy.
σ2=42+k2−(4k)2=42+k2−16k2
Step 3 — Impose the given standard deviation
Given σ=5, so σ2=5:
42+k2−16k2=5
Multiply throughout by 16 (the LCM of the denominators):
4(2+k2)−k2=80
8+4k2−k2=80
3k2=72⇒k2=24
Step 4 — Take the required root
k=±24=±26
The condition k>0 selects
k=26
Step 5 — Verify
With k=26: xˉ=426=26, ∑xi2=2+24=26.
σ2=426−46=420=5⇒σ=5✓
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C) — 26.
ANSWER: C
- KCET 2023Set A-21 markMCQQ.If p(q1),q(r1),r(p1),(p1)(q1) are in A.P., then p,q,r (A) are in G.P. (B) are in A.P. (C) are not in G.P. (D) are not in A.P.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Add 2 to each of the three terms; every term then factorises as (p+q+r)(p1+q1+r1) times p, q, r respectively — so the given A.P. forces p,q,r themselves to be in A.P.
Step 1 — The three terms
The terms are
T1=p(q1+r1),T2=q(r1+p1),T3=r(p1+q1).
Step 2 — Add a constant (A.P. is preserved)
If T1,T2,T3 are in A.P., so are T1+2, T2+2, T3+2 (adding the same constant to every term does not change the common difference).
Write 2=1+1 and absorb one of the 1s as pp:
T1+2=qp+rp+pp+1=p(p1+q1+r1)+1.
By the same symmetry,
T2+2=q(p1+q1+r1)+1,T3+2=r(p1+q1+r1)+1.
Step 3 — Strip the constants
Subtract 1 from each, then divide each by the common non-zero factor k=(p1+q1+r1). Both operations preserve an A.P. We are left with
p,q,r
in A.P.
So the given terms are in A.P. iff p,q,r are in A.P.
Step 4 — Numerical verification
Take p=1,q=2,r=3 (an A.P.):
T1=1(21+31)=65,T2=2(31+1)=38,T3=3(1+21)=29.
Common difference: 38−65=611 and 29−38=611. ✓ A.P.
Now test a G.P., p=1,q=2,r=4: T1=43, T2=25, T3=6; differences 1.75 and 3.5 — not an A.P. So a G.P. does not satisfy the hypothesis, ruling out (A).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B) — p,q,r are in A.P.
ANSWER: B
- KCET 2023Set A-21 markMCQQ.The modulus of the complex number (2−6i)(2−2i)(1+i)2(1+3i) is (A) 22 (B) 21 (C) 42 (D) 24
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use z3z4z1z2=∣z3∣∣z4∣∣z1∣∣z2∣ — take moduli factor by factor instead of expanding the messy product.
Step 1 — Why this works.
The modulus is multiplicative (∣z1z2∣=∣z1∣∣z2∣, ∣z1/z2∣=∣z1∣/∣z2∣), so we never need to expand the complex arithmetic.
Step 2 — Numerator moduli.
∣1+i∣=12+12=2 ⇒ ∣(1+i)2∣=(2)2=2
∣1+3i∣=12+32=10
Numerator=210
Step 3 — Denominator moduli.
∣2−6i∣=4+36=40=210
∣2−2i∣=4+4=8=22
Denominator=210⋅22=420=85
Step 4 — Divide.
(2−6i)(2−2i)(1+i)2(1+3i)=210⋅22210=221
Step 5 — Rationalise.
221=2⋅22=42
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C) — 42.
ANSWER: C
- KCET 2021Set A-11 markMCQQ.If (1−i1+i)x=1 then (A) x=4n+1;n∈N (B) x=2n+1;n∈N (C) x=2n;n∈N (D) x=4n;n∈N
›Reveal solutionSolution
Rationalise 1−i1+i to get i, then use the period-4 cycle of powers of i: ix=1 exactly when x is a multiple of 4.
Step 1 — Simplify the base by rationalising the denominator.
The standard move for a complex fraction is to multiply top and bottom by the conjugate of the denominator. The conjugate of 1−i is 1+i:
1−i1+i=1−i1+i×1+i1+i=(1−i)(1+i)(1+i)2.
Step 2 — Expand numerator and denominator.
Numerator (using i2=−1):
(1+i)2=1+2i+i2=1+2i−1=2i.
Denominator (difference of squares — this is why we use the conjugate: it clears i from the bottom):
(1−i)(1+i)=12−i2=1−(−1)=2.
Therefore
1−i1+i=22i=i.
Step 3 — Rewrite the equation.
(1−i1+i)x=1⟹ix=1.
Step 4 — The concept: powers of i are periodic with period 4.
i1=i,i2=−1,i3=−i,i4=1,
and then the cycle repeats: i5=i, i6=−1, and so on. In general ix depends only on xmod4, and
ix=1⟺x≡0(mod4)⟺x=4n.
(Geometrically: i=eiπ/2 is a quarter-turn about the origin. Four quarter-turns make a full revolution and land back at 1 — so the exponent must be a multiple of 4.)
Step 5 — Test the options against the cycle.
- (A) x=4n+1 ⇒i4n+1=i4n⋅i=1⋅i=i=1 ✗
- (B) x=2n+1 (odd) ⇒iodd=±i=1 ✗
- (C) x=2n ⇒ e.g. n=1 gives i2=−1=1 ✗ (works only when n is itself even — not for all n)
- (D) x=4n ⇒i4n=(i4)n=1n=1 ✓ for every n
✓Final answerThe correct option is (D) — x=4n; n∈N.
ANSWER: D
- KCET 2018Set A-11 markMCQQ.Everybody in a room shakes hands with everybody else. The total number of handshakes is 45. The total number of persons in the room is (A) 9 (B) 10 (C) 5 (D) 15
›Reveal solutionSolution
Each handshake involves a pair of people, so the total is nC2; set nC2=45 and solve for n.
Step 1 — Model the situation.
A handshake is completely determined by which two people shake — the order does not matter (A shaking B is the same handshake as B shaking A), and a person cannot shake their own hand. So the count of handshakes among n people is a combination, not a permutation:
Number of handshakes=nC2=2n(n−1)
Step 2 — Form and solve the equation.
2n(n−1)=45⇒n(n−1)=90⇒n2−n−90=0
⇒(n−10)(n+9)=0⇒n=10 or n=−9
Step 3 — Reject the impossible root.
A number of persons cannot be negative, so n=−9 is rejected. Hence n=10.
Step 4 — Verify.
10C2=210×9=45 ✓
(Checking (A): 9C2=36=45; (C): 5C2=10; (D): 15C2=105.)
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B) — 10.
ANSWER: B
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