2 Integrals as General and Particular So-

lutions
dy
The first order differential equation = f (x, y) takes an especially
dx
simple form if the function f is independent of variable y, i.e. it has
the form:
dy
= f (x). (2.1)
dx

Theorem 2.1. The general solution of the first order differential equa-
tion (2.1) has the form:
Z
y(x) = f (x)dx = F (x) + C, (2.2)

where F (x) is an antiderivative of f (x) and C is an arbitrary constant.

Remark 2.1. (2.2) is a general solution of differential equation (2.1),

meaning that it involves an arbitrary constant C. Hence, (2.2) is a
solution of equation (2.1) for every value of C. If we take particular
values of constant C, we obtain so-called particular solutions of
differential equation (2.1).

Example 2.1. Find the general solution of the first order differential
equation:
dy
= 2x + 3.
dx
Solution: Integrating both sides of the equation, we get the general
solution Z
y(x) = (2x + 3)dx = x2 + 3x + C.

Note that y1 (x) = x2 + 3x + 5 and y2 (x) = x2 + 3x − 1 are examples of

particular solutions of given differential equation.

7
Remark 2.2. The graph of general general solution (2.2) contains
infinitely many graphs which are ”parallel” to each other. If we take a
particular graph which corresponds to a particular value of the constant
C, we obtain the graph of the solution of the initial value problem:
 dy = f (x),

dx
y(x0 ) = y0 .


Example 2.2. Solve the initial value problem:

 dy = 2x + 1,

dx
y(0) = 3.


dy
Solution: Integrating both sides of the equation = 2x + 1, we get
dx
the general solution
Z
y(x) = (2x + 1)dx = x2 + x + C.

Solution of given initial value problem is a particular solution that

satisfies the initial condition y(0) = 02 + 0 + C = 3. It follows that
C = 3 and the desired particular solution is:
y(x) = x2 + x + 3.

Remark 2.3. (Second order equations)

Result of Theorem 2.1 for first order differential equation (2.1) can be
extended to second order differential equation of the special form:
d2 y
= g(x). (2.3)
dx2
Integrating both sides of equation, we get
Z
dy
= g(x)dx = G(x) + C1 ,
dx
8
where G(x) is an antiderivative of g(x) and C1 is an arbitrary constant.
Then another integration yields
Z Z
y(x) = [G(x) + C1 ] dx = G(x)dx + C1 x + C2 , (2.4)

where C2 is a second arbitrary constant. (2.4) is a general solution of

second order equation (2.3).

Example 2.3. Find the general solution of the second order differential
equation:
d2 y
= 2x + 5.
dx2
Solution: Integrating both sides of the equation, we obtain
Z
dy
= (2x + 5)dx = x2 + 5x + C1 .
dx
Then another integration gives us the general solution of given equation
x3 5x2
Z
 2 
y(x) = x + 5x + C1 dx = + + C1 x + C 2 ,
3 2
where C1 and C2 are arbitrary constants.

Example 2.4. Solve the initial value problem:

 2
dy
 dx2 = 2x + 5,





 y(0) = 1,
 0

y (0) = 2.

Solution: In the Example 2.3 we have obtained the general solution

d2 y
of equation 2 = 2x + 5 as following:
dx
x3 5x2
y(x) = + + C1 x + C2 .
3 2
9
Now, by using initial conditions y(0) = 1 and y 0 (0) = 2, we find the
values of constants C1 and C2 . Namely,
y(0) = C2 = 1 and y 0 (0) = C1 = 2.
So the solution of given IVP is
x3 5x2
y(x) = + + 2x + 1.
3 2

Remark 2.4. (Velocity and Acceleration)

Direct integration method illustrated for the second order equation
(2.3) allows us to solve a number of important problems concerning
the motion of a particle. The motion of a particle along a straight line
(x-axis) is described by the position function
x = f (t)
giving its x-coordinate at time t. The velocity of the particle is defined
to be
dx
v(t) = f 0 (t) or v= .
dt
The acceleration of the particle is defined to be
d2 x
a(t) = v 0 (t) or a= .
dt2

Example 2.5. Find the position function x(t) of a moving particle

with given acceleration a(t) = 50, initial position x(0) = 20 and initial
velocity v(0) = 10.
Solution: Position function x(t) satisfying given conditions is a solu-
tion of the following initial value problem:
 2
dx
 dt2 = 50,





 x(0) = 20,
 0

x (0) = 10.
10
Integrating both sides of the equation, we obtain
Z
dx
= 50dt = 50t + C1 .
dt
Then another integration gives us
Z
x(t) = [50t + C1 ] dt = 25t2 + C1 t + C2 .

Now, by using initial conditions x(0) = 20 and x0 (0) = 10, we find the
values of constants C1 and C2 . Namely,

x(0) = C2 = 20 and x0 (0) = C1 = 10.

So, the solution of the given problem is

x(t) = 25t2 + 10t + 20.

2.1 Self-study Problems

Problem 2.1. Solve the following initial value problems

 dy = (x − 2)2 ,  dy = √x,
 

a) dx b) dx
y(2) = 1. y(4) = 0.
 

 dy = 1 ,  dy = √ 1 ,


c) dx x2 d) dx x+2
y(1) = 5.
 
 y(2) = −1.

dy  dy = 10 ,
 p 
 = x x2 + 9,
e) dx f) dx x2 + 1
y(−4) = 0.
 
y(0) = 0.

11
 
 dy = cos 2x,  dy = √ 1

,

g) dx h) dx 1 − x2
y(0) = 1.
 
 y(0) = 0.

 dy = xe−x ,  dy = x ln x,
 

i) dx k) dx
y(0) = 1. y(1) = 1.
 

Problem 2.2. In the following examples, find the position function

x(t) of a moving particle with given acceleration a(t), initial position
x(0) = x0 and initial velocity v(0) = v0 .
a) a(t) = −20, x0 = 5, v0 = −15
b) a(t) = 3t, x0 = 0, v0 = 5
c) a(t) = 2t + 1, x0 = 4, v0 = −7
d) a(t) = 4(t + 3)2 , x0 = 1, v0 = −1
1
e) a(t) = √ , x0 = 1, v0 = −1
t+4
1
f) a(t) = , x0 = 0, v0 = 0
(t + 3)3
g) a(t) = 50 sin 5t, x0 = 8, v0 = −10

Problem 2.3. A diesel car gradually speeds up so that for the first 10
seconds its acceleration is given by
3t2 3t
a(t) = + (f t/sec2 )
25 5
If the car starts from rest (x0 = 0, v0 = 0), find the distance it has
traveled in 10 seconds.

12