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  • Show that the differential equation (2x+3x2y)dx+(x3+2y3y2)dy=0 is an exact differential equation.
  • Find the general solution.
  • Solution (a) Let  M=2x+3x2y and N=x3+2y3y2. Then My=3x2andNx=3x2

    Since My=Nx for all x and y, the differential equation (1) is exact over the xy-plane.

    Finding a potential function f for a conservative vector field F is discussed in Section 15.3, pp. 995–996.

    (b) Since the differential equation (2x+3x2y)dx+(x3+2y3y2)dy=0 is exact, there is a function z=f(x,y) so that fx=M=2x+3x2yandfy=N=x3+2y3y2

    We find f by integrating fx=M=2x+3x2y partially with respect to x (holding y constant). Then f(x,y)=(2x+3x2y)dx=x2+x3y+B(y)

    where the constant of integration is a function B of y alone, which is as yet unknown. To determine B(y), we use the fact that f must also satisfy fy=N=x3+2y3y2. Then from (2), fy=y[x2+x3y+B(y)]=x3+yB(y)andfy=x3+2y3y2

    Equating the two expressions, we have x3+yB(y)=x3+2y3y2dBdy=2y3y2B is a function of y alone; By=dBdy.

    Now we integrate dBdy=2y3y2 with respect to y. B(y)=(2y3y2)dy=y2y3+C

    Substituting for B(y) in (2), we obtain f(x,y)=x2+x3y+y2y3+C

    The general solution of the differential equation is x2+x3y+y2y3+C=0

    where C is a constant.