Velimor Almonte
College of Arts and Science MATH056: Ordinary Differential Equations
Mathematics and Science Cluster Topic: Basic Concepts
1.1 Classifying Differential Equations
Classifying Differential
Equations
Basic Concepts in Differential Equations
Velimor Almonte
Objectives
1. classify a differential equation by its type,
order, degree, or linearity;
2. transform a differential equation in
differential form, standard form, or normal
form into another form;
Objectives
3. eliminate all the arbitrary constants in
a family of functions to obtain a
corresponding differential equation; &
4. formulate proportionality problems
from various fields.
Classifying Differential
Equations
Definition:
A differential equation (DE) is an equation
containing a function and one or more of its
derivatives.
If there are only ordinary derivatives, the DE
is an ordinary differential equation (ODE).
Otherwise, if there is a partial derivative, the
DE is called a partial differential equation
(PDE).
DE Equation but
not a DE
𝑑𝑦
= 4𝑦
𝑑𝑥
𝑦′ − 𝑦 = 1
2𝑥 − 𝑦 = 8
𝑦 = 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 5
ODE PDE
𝑑𝑦 2𝑥
− 4𝑥𝑦 = 𝑒
𝑑𝑥
′
𝑦
2𝑦 + = 3
𝑥
𝜕2𝑧 𝜕2𝑧
2
+ 2=0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝐹 𝑑𝑦
=4 −𝑦
𝜕𝑥 𝑑𝑥
Definition:
The order of a DE is the order of the highest-ordered derivative in the
DE.
The degree of a DE is the degree of the highest-ordered derivative in
the DE when written in polynomial-like form (no fractional or negative
exponents).
Note: In other words, to decide the order or
degree only the highest-ordered derivative in
the DE is referred to.
Note:
A DE always has an order but may or may
not have a degree.
ORDER DEGREE
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥
− 4𝑥𝑦 = 𝑒 2𝑥
1 1
𝑦
2 𝑦 ′ 2
+ = 𝑙𝑛𝑥
𝑥 1 2
ORDER DEGREE
𝑑𝑦
− 4𝑥𝑦 = 𝑒 2𝑥
1 no degree
𝑑𝑥
𝑦′′ 4
𝑥
+ = 𝑙𝑛𝑥
2 no degree
𝑦
𝜕2𝑧 𝜕3𝑧
+ 3=8
3 1
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦
𝑦′′′ 2 = 𝑡 2 𝑦′′ 3 − 4𝑡 3 2
Definition:
An ODE is said to be linear if it can be written in the
form
𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑦 𝑛 + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑥 𝑦 𝑛−1 +… +𝑎2 𝑥 𝑦′′ +
+𝑎1 𝑥 𝑦′ +𝑎0 𝑥 𝑦= 𝑅 𝑥
where every derivative is of degree 1 and the
coefficients 𝑎𝑖 𝑥 s, i = 0, 1, 2, … n, and 𝑅 𝑥 are
functions of the independent variable.
Otherwise, the DE is said to be non-linear.
Linear DEs
Let the left-hand side (LHS) of the linear DE
be designated as L(y)= 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑦 𝑛 +
𝑎𝑛−1 𝑥 𝑦 𝑛−1 +… +𝑎2 𝑥 𝑦′′ +
+𝑎1 𝑥 𝑦′ +𝑎0 𝑥 𝑦
Let the right-hand side (RHS) of the linear
DE be designated as R 𝑥
Notation: L(y) = R 𝑥
LINEAR NON-
LINEAR
𝑑𝑦
− 4𝑥𝑦 = 𝑒 2𝑥
𝑑𝑥
−4𝑦 ′′′ + 𝑥𝑦 = 0
𝑦′′′ 2 = 𝑡 2 𝑦′′ 3 − 4𝑡
2 𝑦′ 2 + 𝑦 2 𝑦 = 𝑥𝑙𝑛𝑥
Unknown function, dependent, and
independent variables in a DE
Definition of a DE rephrased: A DE is an equation
involving a dependent variable and one or more of its
derivatives with respect to the independent variable.
The dependent variable is the unknown function. To
find the solution of the DE is to find the unknown
function or family of functions that satisfy the DE.
Dependent Independent
variable/unknown variable
function
𝑑𝑦
− 4𝑥𝑦 = 𝑒 2𝑥 𝑦 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
Note: If the independent variable is not explicit, it is conventional to assume y to be a function of x.
−4𝑦 ′′′ + 𝑦 = 0 𝑦 𝑥
𝑧′′′ 2 = 𝑡 2 𝑧′′ 3 − 4𝑡 𝑧 𝑡
𝑥 ′ + 5𝑥 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ
𝑥 θ
Worked examples in pdf, ppt, or video
formats are available in other
content folders in the e-course site.
End
