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Miscellaneous Examples · Example 21

Q.Solve the differential equation (x dy−y dx) ysin⁡(yx)=(y dx+x dy) xcos⁡(yx)(x\,dy - y\,dx)\,y\sin\left(\frac{y}{x}\right) = (y\,dx + x\,dy)\,x\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right).

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This is a homogeneous differential equation. Substituting y=vxy = vx and simplifying leads to a separable form. The general solution is xycos⁡(yx)=C\boxed{xy\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right) = C}.

Why this approach works

When you see a differential equation where every term has the same total degree in xx and yy, it's a homogeneous differential equation. The key insight: such equations can be simplified by writing y=vxy = vx, which turns the equation into one involving only vv and xx. This works because the homogeneity lets us factor out powers of xx everywhere.

Look at our equation: every term has degree 2 in xx and yy (check: x dyx\,dy is degree 1+1=2, y dxy\,dx is degree 2, and the trigonometric functions are dimensionless). So the substitution y=vxy = vx is the natural path.


Step-by-step solution

1. Rewrite the equation in a standard form

Start with:

(x dy−y dx) ysin⁡(yx)=(y dx+x dy) xcos⁡(yx)(x\,dy - y\,dx)\,y\sin\left(\frac{y}{x}\right) = (y\,dx + x\,dy)\,x\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)

Expand both sides:

xysin⁡(yx)dy−y2sin⁡(yx)dx=xycos⁡(yx)dx+x2cos⁡(yx)dyxy\sin\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)dy - y^2\sin\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)dx = xy\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)dx + x^2\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)dy

2. Group terms with dxdx and dydy

Bring all terms to one side:

xysin⁡(yx)dy−x2cos⁡(yx)dy−y2sin⁡(yx)dx−xycos⁡(yx)dx=0xy\sin\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)dy - x^2\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)dy - y^2\sin\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)dx - xy\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)dx = 0

Factor dydy and dxdx:

x[ysin⁡(yx)−xcos⁡(yx)]dy−[y2sin⁡(yx)+xycos⁡(yx)]dx=0x\left[y\sin\left(\frac{y}{x}\right) - x\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)\right]dy - \left[y^2\sin\left(\frac{y}{x}\right) + xy\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)\right]dx = 0

3. Substitute y=vxy = vx (so dy=v dx+x dvdy = v\,dx + x\,dv)

This is the heart of the method. Replace every yy with vxvx:

  • yx=v\frac{y}{x} = v
  • sin⁡(yx)=sin⁡v\sin\left(\frac{y}{x}\right) = \sin v, cos⁡(yx)=cos⁡v\cos\left(\frac{y}{x}\right) = \cos v
  • y2=v2x2y^2 = v^2 x^2

The equation becomes:

x[vxsin⁡v−xcos⁡v](v dx+x dv)−[v2x2sin⁡v+x(vx)cos⁡v]dx=0x\left[vx\sin v - x\cos v\right](v\,dx + x\,dv) - \left[v^2 x^2\sin v + x(vx)\cos v\right]dx = 0

Simplify inside the brackets:

x2(vsin⁡v−cos⁡v)(v dx+x dv)−x2(v2sin⁡v+vcos⁡v)dx=0x^2(v\sin v - \cos v)(v\,dx + x\,dv) - x^2(v^2\sin v + v\cos v)dx = 0

4. Divide through by x2x^2 (assuming x≠0x \neq 0)

(vsin⁡v−cos⁡v)(v dx+x dv)−(v2sin⁡v+vcos⁡v)dx=0(v\sin v - \cos v)(v\,dx + x\,dv) - (v^2\sin v + v\cos v)dx = 0

5. Expand and collect dxdx and dvdv terms

Expand the first product:

(vsin⁡v−cos⁡v)v dx+(vsin⁡v−cos⁡v)x dv−(v2sin⁡v+vcos⁡v)dx=0(v\sin v - \cos v)v\,dx + (v\sin v - \cos v)x\,dv - (v^2\sin v + v\cos v)dx = 0

Group dxdx terms:

[v(vsin⁡v−cos⁡v)−(v2sin⁡v+vcos⁡v)]dx+(vsin⁡v−cos⁡v)x dv=0[v(v\sin v - \cos v) - (v^2\sin v + v\cos v)]dx + (v\sin v - \cos v)x\,dv = 0

Simplify the dxdx coefficient:

v2sin⁡v−vcos⁡v−v2sin⁡v−vcos⁡v=−2vcos⁡vv^2\sin v - v\cos v - v^2\sin v - v\cos v = -2v\cos v

So we have:

(−2vcos⁡v) dx+(vsin⁡v−cos⁡v)x dv=0(-2v\cos v)\,dx + (v\sin v - \cos v)x\,dv = 0

6. Separate variables

Bring the dvdv term to the other side:

2vcos⁡v dx=(vsin⁡v−cos⁡v)x dv2v\cos v\,dx = (v\sin v - \cos v)x\,dv

Divide both sides by xx and by vcos⁡vv\cos v (careful: we'll handle special cases later):

2x dx=vsin⁡v−cos⁡vvcos⁡v dv\frac{2}{x}\,dx = \frac{v\sin v - \cos v}{v\cos v}\,dv

7. Simplify the dvdv side

vsin⁡v−cos⁡vvcos⁡v=vsin⁡vvcos⁡v−cos⁡vvcos⁡v=tan⁡v−1v\frac{v\sin v - \cos v}{v\cos v} = \frac{v\sin v}{v\cos v} - \frac{\cos v}{v\cos v} = \tan v - \frac{1}{v}

So the separated equation is:

2x dx=(tan⁡v−1v)dv\frac{2}{x}\,dx = \left(\tan v - \frac{1}{v}\right)dv

Tip

The separation works because the original equation was homogeneous — the substitution y=vxy = vx always reduces it to a separable form in vv and xx.

8. Integrate both sides

∫2x dx=∫(tan⁡v−1v)dv\int \frac{2}{x}\,dx = \int \left(\tan v - \frac{1}{v}\right)dv …

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