Bernoulli Differential Equation

Bernoulli Differential Equation
Written by: Robert Pinterson

Earned my Ph.D. in mathematics from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
I am a lecturer with over 5 years of teaching experience and an active researcher in the field of quantum information. Passionate about everything connected with maths in particular and science in general.

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How to Solve the Special first order differential equation?

A standard form of Bernoulli equation is

$$\frac{dy}{dx} + P(X)y = Q(X) y^n$$

Fact: where n is any real but not 0 or 1. When n=0 then the equation can be solved as a first order linear differential equation

When n=1 then the equation can be solved using separation of variables

For other values of n we can solve it by substituting as follows:

$$u=y^{1-n}$$

and change it into a linear differential equation and then solve.

Example

$$\frac{dy}{dx} + x^4y= x^4y^6$$

  • Step#1: It is a Bernoulli equation with P(x)=Q(x)=x^4 and n=6

    By substitution

    $$u=y^{1-n}$$

    $$u=y^5$$

  • Step#2: In terms of y which is

    $$u=y^{\frac{-1}{5}}$$

  • Step#3: Now Differentiate y with respect to x

    $$\frac{dy}{dx}= -\frac{1}{5} u^{-\frac{6}{5}} \frac{du}{dx}$$

  • Step#4: Substitute dy/dx and y into the original equation

    $$\frac{dy}{dx} + x^5y= x^5y^6$$

    $$-\frac{1}{5} u^{\frac{-6}{5}}\;\frac{du}{dx }+ x^4\;u^{\frac{-1}{6}}=x^4\; u^{\frac{-6}{5}}$$

  • Step#5: Multiply all of the above by

    $$-5u^{\frac{1}{5}}$$

    $$-\frac{du}{dx}- 5x^4 u=-5x^4 u$$

  • Step#6: The substitution worked now we have an equation we can hopefully solve.

  • Step#7: Simplify

    $$\frac{du}{dx} =5x^4u-5x^4$$

    $$\frac{du}{dx} =(u-1)5x^4$$

  • Step#8: by Using separation of Variables

    $$\frac{du}{u}-1=5x^4$$

    $$\frac{dy}{dx}=5x^5dx$$

  • Step#9: Integrate on both sides

    $$\int \frac{1}{u}-1 du = 5x^4dx$$

  • Step#10: Conclusion

    $$ln(u-1)=x^5+C$$

    $$u-1=e^{x5}+C$$

    $$u=(e^{x^5}+c +1)$$

  • Step#11: Substitute back

    $$y=u(\frac{-1}{5})$$

    $$y=(e^{x^5+c}+1)^{(\frac{-1}{5})}$$