DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS 387
X’
Y
Y’
y =
x+
y = x
y = –x
y = –x–1
y = x3
O
c are different for different members of the family.
This is obtained by differentiating equation (5) with
respect to x, successively we get
dy
, and
2
2
dy
dx
... (6)
The equation (6) represents the family of straight
lines given by equation (5).
Note that equations (3) and (5) are the general
solutions of equations (4) and (6) respectively.
9.4.1 Procedure to form a differential equation that will represent a given
family of curves
(a) If the given family F
1
of curves depends on only one parameter then it is
represented by an equation of the form
F
1
(x, y, a) = 0 ... (1)
For example, the family of parabolas y
2
= ax can be represented by an equation
of the form f (x, y, a) : y
2
= ax.
Differentiating equation (1) with respect to x, we get an equation involving
y′, y, x, and a, i.e.,
g (x, y, y′, a) = 0 ... (2)
The required differential equation is then obtained by eliminating a from equations
(1) and (2) as
F (x, y, y′) = 0 ... (3)
(b) If the given family F
2
of curves depends on the parameters a, b (say) then it is
represented by an equation of the from
F
2
(x, y, a, b) = 0 ... (4)
Differentiating equation (4) with respect to x, we get an equation involving
y′, x, y, a, b, i.e.,
g (x, y, y′, a, b) = 0 ... (5)
But it is not possible to eliminate two parameters a and b from the two equations
and so, we need a third equation. This equation is obtained by differentiating
equation (5), with respect to x, to obtain a relation of the form
h (x, y, y′, y″, a, b) = 0 ... (6)
Fig 9.2