First-order ODE's: Tutorial

Contributors: 2022 EMA206B lecturers

• Ms H Spoelstra (Subject coordinator)
• Dr M Kekana (Section head: Mathematics and Statistics)
• Ms MK Mothiba
• Dr EL Voges
• Dr GT Sedebo
• Mr FT Ncongwane

Instructions
✓ Answer the question.
✓ Use Matlab to plot graphs.
✓ The answers are given in brackets [ ] after each question. Your answer may be slightly
different but should simplify to the one given.
✓ Bring any mistakes to your lecturer's attention; we'll fix them and update the
document on myTUTor.

QUESTION 1
Determine the solution of each of the following first-order, ordinary differential equations.
You may leave the answer in implicit form.

dy  1 x+c 
1.1 x = y2 + y −
 y = ; x  0 
dx  x 

dy y + x 2 − y 2
1.2 =  y = x sin ( ln x + c )
dx x
1 dy 1  ex 1 x 
1.3 − = ex
y 2 dx y
 y = − 2 e + c
 

dy 1  1 − x ex − 4 
1.4 + y = 2x  y = e ln x + ce− x 
dx e − 5e x + 4  3 e −1 

dy y 2 + 4  −1  y  
1.5 = 5 y − 10 tan  2  = x + c 
dx 5 y2    

dy  1 1 
+ 2 xy = xe− x y 3  y 2e2 x = 3e3 x + c 
2
1.6
dx  

1 
1.7 sin 3 xdx + 2 y cos3 3 xdy = 0 −2
 6 cos 3x = y + c 
2

y  1 2 x2 c 
y − = x for x  1  = − +
4ln x ln x 
1.8 y x
x ln x  2

First-order ODE's: 2022 206EMA206B lecturers Page 1 of 6

©Tshwane University of Technology

Open Rubric
QUESTION 2
Derive an expression for 𝑦 = 𝑦(𝑥) in explicit form.

 y ( x ) = x tan ( ln x + c ) 
dy
2.1 x2 = y 2 + xy + x 2
dx
 y2 
( 2t − 1) ( y 2 − 1)
dy 1 1
2.2 + t − y − 1 + ty = 0  2 − y = 4 ln 2t − 1 − 2 t + c 
dt  

2.3 xdy − ( y + 2 x 2 ) dx = 0  y = 2 x 2 + cx 

dy y  x 
− = 5 x3 y 3  y2 = −x + c
5
2.4 2
dx x  

dy y
 − xy 
2.5 x = y + xe x e = ln x + c; y = − x ln ln x + c  
dx  

2.6 e x tan ydx + (1 − e x ) sec2 ydy = 0 ln e x − 1 = ln tan y + c; y = tan −1 ( k (e x − 1) ) 

 

dy 1  2 x2 + c 
2 y + y2 = 2  xy = x + c; y =  
2
2.7
dx x  x 

dy  2 ( ln sec x + tan x + ln sec x ) 

2.8 = 2 − ( sec x ) y y = + c
dx  sec x + tan x 

QUESTION 3
Determine the particular solution in each of the following cases.

 y2 
y ( 3e2 ) = 2
dy
3.1 xy 2 = y + 1;  2 − y + ln y + 1 = ln x − 2 
dx  
dy
3.2 = 3x 2 y 2 + 3x 2 ; y ( −1) = 0  tan −1 y = x3 + 1; y = tan( x3 + 1) 
dx
dy
3.3 cos x + y sin x = sin x cos x; y(0) = 5  y = cos x ln sec x + 5cos x 
dx

QUESTION 4
4.1 Solve the following by reducing the ODE using a suitable substitution.

dy x + y  −1  y  1 x + y 
4.1.1 =  tan  x  − 2 ln x = ln x + c 
dx x − y    

First-order ODE's: 2022 206EMA206B lecturers Page 2 of 6

©Tshwane University of Technology
 dy y2  1 y2 y 
4.1.2 =  2 x 2 − x = ln x + c 
dx xy − x 2  

dy y  y   y 
4.1.3 = + tan    ln sin   = ln x + c 
dx x x  x 
4.2 Solve by reducing to linear form first.
dy  −2 −2 x −2 x 1 −2 x 
4.2.1
dx
+ y = xy 3  y e = xe + 2 e + c 

dy  sec2 t tan 3 t 
4.2.2 − 2 y tan t − y 2 tan 2 t = 0  y = − 3 + c
dt  
dy  4 4 4 5 4 5 
4.2.3 xy 3
dx
= x ln x − y 4  x y = 5 x ln x − 25 x + c 

dy y  1 2 
4.2.4 + = y3  x2 y 2 = x + c 
dx x  
4.3 Given: The differential equation xy + 4 y = 2 x 3 .

 2 x3 c 
4.3.1 Determine the solution y .  y = + 3
 7 x 

4.3.2 Verify mathematically 𝑦 is indeed the solution to this ODE.

QUESTION 5
When answering questions on applications:
▪ You should be able to interpret a mathematical solution, that is, "explain the solution
in English".
▪ Round only the final answer in a logical way.
▪ Units in the question ⇔ units in the answer.
▪ Can YOU sketch the graph of a solution by hand? And then use MATLAB to confirm
your sketch?

5.1 On 28 October 2021 Eskom notified the National Nuclear Regulator of the detection of
Iodine 131 (I-131) in Koeberg's ventilation system1. I-131 is a radio-active element
with a half-life of approximately 8 days. Assuming I-131 decays exponentially,
determine how much of a 200 g sample of I-131 was left after 10 days.

1
https://www.news24.com/fin24/economy/eskom/eskom-routine-check-detects-air-contamination-weakness-at-
koeberg-20211108, accessed 14 October 2021.

First-order ODE's: 2022 206EMA206B lecturers Page 3 of 6

©Tshwane University of Technology
 [𝑁(10) ≈ 84𝑔]
5.2 An imaginary series R-L circuit has a resistance of 50 Ω and an inductance of 10 H. By
closing the switch at 𝑡 = 0, a constant voltage of 100 V is applied to the circuit.
5.2.1 Set up a mathematical model to represent this circuit.
5.2.2 Determine the current in the circuit when 𝑡 = 0.5 seconds.
5.2.3 When is 𝑉𝑅 = 𝑉𝐿 ? Show all calculations and include relevant graphs to illustrate
your answer.

𝑑𝑖
[ + 5𝑖 = 10, 𝑖(0) = 0; 𝑖(0.5) ≈ 1.84 𝐴; 0.14 s (see graph)]
𝑑𝑡

5.3 A freshly-made mug of hot chocolate at 99℃ is left in a room at

constant temperature 23℃. At time 𝑡 = 0 the drink is cooling at a rate of 10℃ per
minute.
5.3.1 Assuming the temperature of the hot chocolate at time 𝑡 is 𝑇 = 𝑇(𝑡), determine
the function modeling the cooling of the drink at any time. Show all steps.
5.3.2 How long will it take the chocolate to cool to 50℃?
5.3.3 After how long will the temperature be below 10℃? Justify your answer
mathematically and include a relevant graph.

[𝑇 = 23 + 76𝑒 −5𝑡/38 ; 7.9 minutes; never, see graph]

5.4 A 1000-litre holding tank catches runoff from a chemical process. The tank initially
holds 800 litres of water with 2 grams of pollution dissolved in it. Polluted water,
containing 5 grams per litre of pollution, flows into the tank at a rate of 3 litres per
hour. At the same time, the well-mixed solution leaves the tank at 3 litres per hour.
When the amount of pollution in the holding tank reaches 500 grams, the inflow of
polluted water is cut off and fresh water enters the tank at a decreased rate of 2 litres
per hour, while the outflow is increased to 4 litres per hour. Determine the amount of
pollution in the tank at any time 𝑡.
HINT: Your answer will be a piecewise-defined function.

 4000 − 3998e −3t /800 ; 0  t  35.475 

A =  
  (t − 435.475) 2
 ; 35.475  t  435.475
  320 

First-order ODE's: 2022 206EMA206B lecturers Page 4 of 6

©Tshwane University of Technology
NOTE: The data in Question 5.5 is fictitious; the data was created for an application of
population growth that is not purely exponential growth or decay2.
5.5 A population, 𝑃 = 𝑃(𝑡), of fish in a small dam will grow at a rate proportional to its
current pouplation. In the absence of external factors, the population will triple in two
weeks' time. Initially there were 100 fish in the dam.
5.5.1 The birth rate of the fish is given by "grows at a rate proportional to the
population present", that is, all external entries, deaths, etc. are excluded. Thus,
in the governing equation, the constant of proportionality represents the birth
rate. Calculate the birth rate of the fish.
On any given day, 15 fish will enter the dam via a river and 16 will be caught by
predators. Seven fish will die of natural causes. Assume the birth rate remains the same.
5.5.2 Set up a mathematical model to represent this new scenario.
5.5.3 Will the population survive? If not, how long will it take to die out?
 ln 3 dp 
 k = 14 ; dt = kP − 8, P(0) = 100, P(14) = 300;51 days 

QUESTION 6
NOTE: Rounding
• Work with exact values where possible.
• Use at least one additional decimal digit for intermediate values in the table.
• Always write down the final answer rounded correctly.

6.1 Use Euler’s method to approximate the following initial-value problems. Give the final
answer accurately to five decimal places.
6.1.1 𝑦 ′ = 𝑥𝑒 3𝑥 − 2𝑦; 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1; 𝑦(0) = 0 with ℎ = 0.5
 y(1)  1.12042
6.1.2 𝑦 ′ = 1 + (𝑥 − 𝑦)2 ; 2 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 3; 𝑦(2) = 1 with ℎ = 0.25

 y (3)  2.5502

6.2 Suppose 𝑦(𝑥) is the solution of the initial value problem 𝑦 ′ = 3 + 𝑥𝑦 with 𝑦(0) = 1.
Determine the estimated value of 𝑦(0.5), accurately to four decimal places, using
Euler's method with the step size ℎ = 0.1.  y(0.5)  2.6958

2
https://www.amsi.org.au/ESA_Senior_Years/PDF/GrowthDecay3e.pdf, accessed 22022/03/15

First-order ODE's: 2022 206EMA206B lecturers Page 5 of 6

©Tshwane University of Technology
6.3 Use Euler's method to calculate, accurately to four decimal places, the solution to the
𝑑𝑦 𝜋
differential equation = cos 𝑥 at 𝑥 = with the initial condition 𝑦(0) = 0 and step
𝑑𝑥 2
𝜋
size ℎ =
10
.  y ( 2 )  1.1488

6.4 Given: The IVP

𝑦 ′ + 2𝑦 = 2 − 𝑒 −4𝑡 , 𝑦(0) = 1
Summarize the following in a table and round all answers to five decimal places.
6.4.1 Use Euler’s method with a step size of ℎ = 0.1 to determine approximate
values of the solution at 𝑡 = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5.
6.4.2 Compare them to the exact values of the solution at these points and
calculate the percentage error at each point.

6.5 Consider the IVP

𝑦 ′ = 6𝑥, 𝑦(0) = 2
for the range 𝑥 = 0 to 𝑥 = 2.
6.5.1 Determine the analytical solution for the IVP.
6.5.2 Solve the IVP using Euler’s method and step size of 0.5.
6.5.3 Solve the IVP using Euler’s method now with a step size of 0.25.
6.5.4 Which numerical solution is more accurate at 𝑥 = 2? Justify your answer with
relevant calculations. [ 𝑦(𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 + 2; Euler with h = 0.25]

First-order ODE's: 2022 206EMA206B lecturers Page 6 of 6

©Tshwane University of Technology