Exercise · ZW-FIRST-ORDER-HOMOGENEOUS-EQUATION-009 · ★★★ Advanced

Why does the substitution \(v=y/x\) work in \(y'=F(y/x)\)?

Choose one option.

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  • C. Because it leaves a separable equation in \(x\) and \(v\).

Explanation

We get \(xv'=F(v)-v\), where \(x\) and \(v\) separate: \(\frac{dv}{F(v)-v}=\frac{dx}{x}\).

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Review the concept: First-order homogeneous equation

A first-order homogeneous equation is a differential equation in which \(y'\) is a function \(F\) of the quotient \(y/x\).

\[\frac{dy}{dx}=F\!\left(\frac{y}{x}\right),\quad v=\frac{y}{x}\;\Rightarrow\; x\,v'=F(v)-v\]

More practice problems: first-order homogeneous equation

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