Classification of Differential
Equations
MAT 275
• Ordinary vs. Partial
• If the differential equation consists of a function of the form y = f (x)
and some combination of its derivatives, then the differential equation
is ordinary. Note that y = f (x) is a function of a single variable, not a
multivariable function.
• All differential equations in this class are ordinary.
• In later courses, you may see differential equations with more than
one independent variable. These are called partial differential
equations.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
2
surgent@[Link]
•
Order
• The order of a differential equation is the “highest” derivative of y =
f (x) present in the diff. eq.
• Examples:
•
• This is first order.
•
• This is second order.
• For higher derivatives, we use the notation to represent the nth
derivative of y, rather than write out n prime symbols.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
3
surgent@[Link]
•
Linearity
• A differential equation is linear if it can be written in the form
Here, represent functions of x, possibly constants, that are attached to y and
its derivatives by multiplication. The term g(x) is not attached to y or its
derivatives by multiplication and may be a function of x, or just a constant,
possibly 0. The term g(x) is called a forcing function.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
4
surgent@[Link]
•
Linearity (continued)
• A linear differential equation does not combine y or any of its
derivatives through multiplication.
• Nor does it treat y or any of its derivatives as an argument within
another operator.
• Examples:
• is linear.
• is linear.
• is not linear. Why?
• Because the is being raised to a power other than 1.
• is not linear. Why?
• We are multiplying y and one of its derivatives.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
5
surgent@[Link]
•
Homogeneous (homogeneity)
• A linear differential equation is homogeneous is the forcing function
g(x) is 0.
• Homogeneity only applies to linear differential equations.
• Examples:
•
• This is homogeneous because it can be written as
.
• This is not homogeneous because is can be rewritten as
. The forcing function is .
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
6
surgent@[Link]
•
Autonomous (autonomic)
• A differential equation is autonomous (-ic) if it does not explicitly
contain the independent variable.
• Examples:
• is autonomous.
• is autonomous.
• is not autonomous.
• Even though the independent variable may not be explicitly present, it
is still “there”, implicitly within whatever function is determined to
be the solution.
• Autonomic differential equations are common in population models.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
7
surgent@[Link]
Examples
It is ordinary. It is first order. It is linear. It is not homogeneous. It is not
autonomic.
It is ordinary. It is second order. It is not linear. Homogeneity is not a
concern. It is not autonomic.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
8
surgent@[Link]
Direction Fields
We plot small lines representing slopes at each coordinate (x,y) in the xy-
plane. From this, we can infer solution curves.
Example: Sketch a direction field for .
At each (x,y) coordinate, we determine . Some examples are:
At (1,1) we have .
At (2,-3), we have . And so on.
We do this for “all” possible points in the plane. We get…
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
9
surgent@[Link]
Direction field for :
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
10
surgent@[Link]
We can infer possible solution curves. If you know a point on a particular
curve, the rest of the curve can be inferred by “following” the direction
field. (We always read left to right, i.e. x is increasing).
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
11
surgent@[Link]
Example: Sketch the direction field for .
Hint: note that this only depends on y. Thus, if we find one slope-line for a
particular y-value, we can extend it left and right.
Another hint: Note that represents a horizontal slope-line and this occurs
when . Factoring, we have
Thus, when , then .
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
12
surgent@[Link]
The direction field for is:
Note the horizontal slopes when y = -2, y = 0 or y = 2. These are equilibrium solutions.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
13
surgent@[Link]
Note how the flow lines (representing possible solution curves) veer towards the
equilibrium solution . Thus, is a stable equilibrium.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
14
surgent@[Link]
The flow lines veer away from the equilibriums and . These are unstable equilibriums.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
15
surgent@[Link]
A third type of equilibrium is semi-stable, in which the solution curves approach the
equilibrium asymptotically from one side, yet veer away from the other.
(c) ASU Math - Scott Surgent. Report errors to
16
surgent@[Link]
