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Course: AP®︎ Calculus AB > Unit 7
Lesson 5: Finding general solutions using separation of variables- Separable equations introduction
- Addressing treating differentials algebraically
- Separable differential equations
- Separable differential equations: find the error
- Worked example: separable differential equations
- Separable differential equations
- Worked example: identifying separable equations
- Identifying separable equations
- Identify separable equations
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Separable differential equations
Separation of variables is a common method for solving differential equations. Learn how it's done and why it's called this way.
Separation of variables is a common method for solving differential equations. Let's see how it's done by solving the differential equation :
Let's review this solution.
In rows to we manipulated the equation so it was in the form . In other words, we separated and so each variable had its own side, including the and the that formed the derivative expression . This is why the method is called "separation of variables."
In row we took the indefinite integral of each side of the equation. The underlying principle, as always with equations, is that if is equal to , then their indefinite integrals must also be equal.
In rows and we performed the integration with respect to (on the left-hand side) and with respect to (on the right-hand side) and then isolated .
We only added a constant on the right-hand side. Adding a constant to both sides would be unnecessary, because we can then move one of the constants to the other side and end up with a single constant.
In conclusion, the general solution of is . You can differentiate to verify this solution.
Looking back at the equation's solution, notice how the separation of variables that we performed in rows to allowed us to integrate each side and obtain an equation without a derivative.
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