H2 Differential Equations Tutorial

2010 Meridian Junior College

Assignment: [To be collected in January 2010]

1.

(i) Find the general solution of the differential equation

dy
3x
.
=
dx x 2 + 1
(ii) Find the particular solution of the differential equation for which y = 2 when
x = 0.

(iii) What can you say about the gradient of every solution curve as x ?
(iv) Sketch, on a single diagram, the graph of the solution found in part (ii), together
with 2 other members of the family of solution curves.

2.

(N2008/P1/4)

The variables x and y are connected by the differential equation

Show that the substitution u = x + y reduces the equation to

dy 1 + x + y
=
.
dx 1 x y

du
2
, and solve this
=
dx 1 u

differential equation.
Deduce that (x + y)2 + 2(x y) = A, where A is an arbitrary constant.
3.

TJC/Promo/9
(a)

Use the substitution y = u cos x to find the general solution of the differential
equation

dy
+ y tan x = 1 . Hence, find y in terms of x, given that y = 1 when
dx

x = 0.
(b)

[6]

Patients warded in a particular hospital were infected by an air-borne virus at

a rate of c patients per day. The hospital introduced the use of a vaccination
that can cure those infected at a rate proportional to the number of infected
patients. It was also found that the number of infected patients remains
constant when it reaches 4c.
By denoting x as the number of infected patients after the vaccination was
introduced for t days, find (without solving) a differential equation relating x, t
and c only.
State an assumption that is needed for the differential equation to be valid. [3]

Page 1 of 4

H2 Differential Equations Tutorial

2010 Meridian Junior College

Assignment

1. (i)

dy
3x
= 2
dx x + 1
3x
y= 2
dx
x +1
3 2x
=
dx
2 x2 + 1
3
= ln ( x 2 + 1) + C
2

(ii) Given y = 2 when x = 0 , C = 2 .

Therefore particular solution is

(iii)

dy
=
dx

y=

3
ln ( x 2 + 1) + 2 .
2

3
x

1
x2
As x , gradient of every solution will tend to zero.
1+

(iii)

c=2
c=0

c = 1
O

2.

dy 1 + x + y
=
dx 1 x y
u = x + y
du
dy
= 1+
dx
dx
1+ u
= 1+
1 u
2
=
(shown)
1 u
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H2 Differential Equations Tutorial

(1 u )

2010 Meridian Junior College

du
2
=
dx 1 u
d u = 2 dx

1
u u2 = 2x + C
2
1
2
= 2x + C
2
2
( x + y ) 2 ( x + y ) + 4 x = A, where A = 2C

( x + y) ( x + y)
( x + y)

+ 2( x y) = A

15. TJC/Promo/9

dy
+ y tan x = 1
dx

(a)
Given

y = u cos x
dy
du
= u sin x + cos x
dx
dx

Therefore,

dy
+ y tan x = 1
dx

becomes
u sin x +

du
cos x + u cos x tan x = 1
dx

du
cos x = 1
dx
1 du = sec x dx
u = ln sec x + tan x + c
General Solution:

y = cos x ln sec x + tan x + c cos x

Given that y = 1 when x = 0,

Hence,

1 = cos 0 ln sec 0 + tan 0 + c cos 0

c =1

y = ( ln ( sec x + tan x ) + 1) cos x

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H2 Differential Equations Tutorial

2010 Meridian Junior College

(b) x is the number of infected patients after the vaccination was introduced for t days.
Therefore the d.e. is defined as
dx
= c kx ,
dt
where k is the constant of proportionality.
Given that the number of infected patients remains constant when x = 4c,
dx
= 0 when x = 4c.
dt
Therefore
0 = c k ( 4c )

k=
Hence, the d.e. relating x, t and c is

1
4

dx
1
= x+c.
dt
4
An assumption needed is that the total number of patients after the vaccination remains
constant throughout. (i.e. no additional patients are introduced to the hospital)
Other Possible Assumptions:
Option 1 (if the patients are only infected in the hospital)
1. All infected patients caught the virus in the hospital, not from any other external
sources.
2. No patients enter or leave the hospital.
3. The virus can only be cured by the vaccination.

Option 2 (if the patients are warded after being infected outside the hospital)
4. All infected patients are given the vaccine.
The virus can be cured only be the vaccination.

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