Bernoulli Differential Equations

If the differential equation is in the form of

$$ \begin{align} y^{\prime}+p(x)y=q(x)y^n \end{align} $$
$$ \begin{align} y^{\prime}+p(x)y=q(x)y^n \end{align} $$

If $n=0$, then the differential equation is linear differential equation:

$$ \begin{aligned} y^{\prime}+p(x)y=q(x) \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y^{\prime}+p(x)y=q(x) \end{aligned} $$

If $n=1$, then the differential equation is separable differential equation:

$$ \begin{aligned} y^{\prime}+p(x)y &=q(x)y\\ \dfrac{dy}{y} &= (q(x)-p(x))dx \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y^{\prime}+p(x)y &=q(x)y\\ \dfrac{dy}{y} &= (q(x)-p(x))dx \end{aligned} $$

If $n \neq 1, 0$, then it is said to be Bernoulli’s Differential Equation in $y$. The differential equation is neither separable, homogenous nor linear differential equation for $n \neq 0, 1$.

However, if we multiply both sides by $y^{-n}$ and by using the substitution $u = y^{1-n}$, then we get linear differential equation in $u$. Let us multiply $(1)$ with $y^{-n}$

$$ \begin{align} y^{-n}y^{\prime}+y^{-n}p(x)y&=q(x)y^ny^{-n} \notag\\ y^{-n}y^{\prime}+y^{1-n}p(x)y&=q(x) \end{align} $$
$$ \begin{align} y^{-n}\dfrac{dy}{dx}+y^{-n}p(x)y&=q(x)y^ny^{-n} \notag\\ y^{-n}\dfrac{dy}{dx}+y^{1-n}p(x)y&=q(x) \end{align} $$

Let $u=y^{1-n}$. Differentiating $u$ by chain rule, we get

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{du}{dx} = (1-n)y^{-n}\dfrac{dy}{dx} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{du}{dx} = (1-n)y^{-n}\dfrac{dy}{dx} \end{aligned} $$

Substituting $u$ into $(2)$:

$$ \begin{align} \dfrac{1}{(1-n)}\dfrac{du}{dx}+p(x)u &= q(x) \notag\\ \dfrac{u^{\prime}}{1-n} + p(x)u &= q(x) \notag\\ u^{\prime}+p(x)u(1-n) &= q(x)(1-n) \notag\\ u^{\prime}+P(x)u &= Q(x) \end{align} $$
$$ \begin{align} \dfrac{1}{(1-n)}\dfrac{du}{dx}+p(x)u &= q(x) \notag\\ \dfrac{u^{\prime}}{1-n} + p(x)u &= q(x) \notag\\ u^{\prime}+p(x)u(1-n) &= q(x)(1-n) \notag\\ u^{\prime}+P(x)u &= Q(x) \end{align} $$

where $P(x) = (1-n)p(x)$ and $Q(x) = q(x)(1-n)$. It is obvious that $(3)$ is a linear differential equation.

$\textbf{\small Example: }$ Find the solution of nonlinear differential equation

$$ \begin{aligned} x\dfrac{dy}{dx} + y = 3x^2y^{-3} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} x\dfrac{dy}{dx} + y = 3x^2y^{-3} \end{aligned} $$

$\textbf{\small Solution: }$ Observe that differential equation is Bernoulli’s Equation since

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} + \dfrac{y}{x} = 3xy^{-3} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} + \dfrac{y}{x} = 3xy^{-3} \end{aligned} $$

where $p(x) = \frac{1}{x}$, $q(x) = 3x^2$ and $n=-3$. Therefore, we use the substitution $u = y^{1-n} = y^{4}$. Differentiating both sides $u^{\prime} = 4y^3y^{\prime}$. Thus,

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} + \dfrac{y}{x} &= 3xy^{-3}\\ y^3\dfrac{dy}{dx} + y^3\dfrac{y}{x} &= 3xy^{-3}y^3\\ y^3\dfrac{dy}{dx} + \dfrac{y^4}{x} &= 3x\\ \dfrac{1}{4}\cdot\dfrac{du}{dx} + \dfrac{u}{x} &= 3x\\ \dfrac{du}{dx} + \dfrac{4u}{x} &= 12x \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} + \dfrac{y}{x} &= 3xy^{-3}\\ y^3\dfrac{dy}{dx} + y^3\dfrac{y}{x} &= 3xy^{-3}y^3\\ y^3\dfrac{dy}{dx} + \dfrac{y^4}{x} &= 3x\\ \dfrac{1}{4}\cdot\dfrac{du}{dx} + \dfrac{u}{x} &= 3x\\ \dfrac{du}{dx} + \dfrac{4u}{x} &= 12x \end{aligned} $$

Using the method in here, we obtain the following integrating factor

$$ \begin{aligned} \lambda(x) &= e^{\int p(x)\,dx}\\ &= e^{\int \frac{4}{x}\,dx}\\ &= e^{ln|x^4|}\\ &= x^4 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \lambda(x) &= e^{\int p(x)\,dx}\\ &= e^{\int \frac{4}{x}\,dx}\\ &= e^{ln|x^4|}\\ &= x^4 \end{aligned} $$

Multiplying the differential equation with integrating we get

$$ \begin{aligned} x^4\dfrac{du}{dx} + 4x^3u &= 12x^5\\ (x^4 \cdot u)^{\prime} &= 12x^5\\ \int (x^4 \cdot u)^{\prime} &= \int 12x^5\\ x^4\cdot u &= 2x^6 + C\\ u &= 2x^2 + Cx^{-4} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} x^4\dfrac{du}{dx} + 4x^3u &= 12x^5\\ (x^4 \cdot u)^{\prime} &= 12x^5\\ \int (x^4 \cdot u)^{\prime} &= \int 12x^5\\ x^4\cdot u &= 2x^6 + C\\ u &= 2x^2 + Cx^{-4} \end{aligned} $$

And finally we back substitute $u$:

$$ \begin{aligned} y^4 &= 2x^2+Cx^{-4}\\ y &= \pm [2x^2+Cx^{-4}]^{\frac{1}{4}} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y^4 &= 2x^2+Cx^{-4}\\ y &= \pm [2x^2+Cx^{-4}]^{\frac{1}{4}} \end{aligned} $$

Now, we will consider some discontinuities over the differential equations.

Linear Differential Equations with Discontinuous Coeffecients

Consider linear differential equation

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} + p(x)y = q(x) \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} + p(x)y = q(x) \end{aligned} $$

if the coeffecients have discontuinity at $x_0$, then we can solve two differential equations for $x < x_0$ and $x > x_0$ such that the solution is continuous at that point. In other words, limit must be exist and equal to function at that value

$$ \begin{aligned} \lim_{x \rightarrow \pm x_0} y(x) = y(x_0) \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \lim_{x \rightarrow \pm x_0} y(x) = y(x_0) \end{aligned} $$

$\textbf{\small Example: }$ Find a continuous solution satisfying the given differential equation and the indicated initial condition

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} + p(x)y = \dfrac{1}{x}, \; y(1) = 2 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} + p(x)y = \dfrac{1}{x}, \; y(1) = 2 \end{aligned} $$

where

$$ \begin{aligned} p(x) = \begin{cases} 0 & \text{if } 0 < x \leq 1\\ \dfrac{1}{x} & \text{if } 1 > x \\ \end{cases} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} p(x) = \begin{cases} 0 & \text{if } 0 < x \leq 1\\ \dfrac{1}{x} & \text{if } 1 > x \\ \end{cases} \end{aligned} $$

Let first evaluate $0 < x \leq 1$. We have linear nonhomogenous initial value problem

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} = \dfrac{1}{x}, \; y(1) = 2 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} = \dfrac{1}{x}, \; y(1) = 2 \end{aligned} $$

Then,

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} &= \dfrac{1}{x}\\ \int \dfrac{dy}{dx} &= \int \frac{1}{x}\,dx\\ y(x) &= \ln(x) + C \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} &= \dfrac{1}{x}\\ \int \dfrac{dy}{dx} &= \int \frac{1}{x}\,dx\\ y(x) &= \ln(x) + C \end{aligned} $$

Imposing $y(1) = 2$

$$ \begin{aligned} y(1) = ln(1) + C &= 2\\ C &= 2 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y(1) = ln(1) + C &= 2\\ C &= 2 \end{aligned} $$

Thus we obtain the solution of initial value problem is

$$ \begin{aligned} y(x) = \ln(x) + 2, \; 0 < x \leq 1 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y(x) = \ln(x) + 2, \; 0 < x \leq 1 \end{aligned} $$

For $x > 1$, we have linear nonhomogenous initial value problem

$$ \begin{aligned} x\dfrac{dy}{dx} + y &= 1\\ \dfrac{dy}{dx} + \dfrac{y}{x} &= \dfrac{1}{x} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} x\dfrac{dy}{dx} + y &= 1\\ \dfrac{dy}{dx} + \dfrac{y}{x} &= \dfrac{1}{x} \end{aligned} $$

and thus $p(x) = \frac{1}{x}$ and $q(x) = \frac{1}{x}$. So the integrating factor is $\lambda(x) = e^{\int \frac{1}{x}dx} = x$. Using this $\lambda$

$$ \begin{aligned} x\dfrac{dy}{dx} + y &= 1\\ (x \cdot y)^{\prime} &= 1\\ \int (x \cdot y)^{\prime} &= \int 1\\ xy(x) &= x + D\\ y(x) &= 1 + \dfrac{D}{x} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} x\dfrac{dy}{dx} + y &= 1\\ (x \cdot y)^{\prime} &= 1\\ \int (x \cdot y)^{\prime} &= \int 1\\ xy(x) &= x + D\\ y(x) &= 1 + \dfrac{D}{x} \end{aligned} $$

Imposing the condition $y(1) = 2$

$$ \begin{aligned} 2 = \lim_{x \rightarrow 1^{+}} \left(1 + \dfrac{D}{x}\right) \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} 2 = \lim_{x \rightarrow 1^{+}} \left(1 + \dfrac{D}{x}\right) \end{aligned} $$

Thus $D = 1$. We obtain the solution of initial value problem is

$$ \begin{aligned} y(x) = \begin{cases} \ln(x) + 2 & \text{if } 0 < x \leq 1\\ 1 + \dfrac{1}{x} & \text{if } 1 > x \\ \end{cases} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y(x) = \begin{cases} \ln(x) + 2 & \text{if } 0 < x \leq 1\\ 1 + \dfrac{1}{x} & \text{if } 1 > x \\ \end{cases} \end{aligned} $$

Ricatti’s Differential Equations

If the differential equation is in the form of

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} = P(x) + Q(x)y + R(x)y^2 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} = P(x) + Q(x)y + R(x)y^2 \end{aligned} $$

Then it is said to be “Ricatti’s differential equation” in $y$. The differential equation neither separable, homogenous nor Bernoulli’s differential equation.

If $y_1(x)$ is a particular solution of the Ricatti’s differential equation it means that it satisfies the equation

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy_1(x)}{dx} = P(x) + Q(x)y_1 + R(x)y_1^2 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy_1(x)}{dx} = P(x) + Q(x)y_1 + R(x)y_1^2 \end{aligned} $$

Then the substitution $y = y_1 + v^{-1}$ transform Ricatti’s differential equation into linear differential equation in $v$.

Taking the derivative of the both sides we have

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} = y_1^{\prime}(x) - v^{-2}v^{\prime} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} = y_1^{\prime}(x) - v^{-2}v^{\prime} \end{aligned} $$

Substituting this into main equation we have

$$ \begin{aligned} y_1^{\prime}(x) - v^{-2}v^{\prime} &= P(x) + Q(x)(y_1(x) + v^{-1}) + R(x)(y_1(x) + v^{-1})^2\\ &= P(x) + Q(x)y_1(x) + Q(x)v^{-1} + R(x)y_1(x)^2 + 2R(x)y_1(x)v^{-1} + R(x)v^{-2}\\ &= P(x) + [Q(x) + 2R(x)y_1(x)]v^{-1} + R(x)v^{-2}\\ - v^{-2}v^{\prime} &= [Q(x) + 2R(x)y_1(x)]v^{-1} + R(x)v^{-2} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y_1^{\prime}(x) - v^{-2}v^{\prime} &= P(x) + Q(x)(y_1(x) + v^{-1}) + R(x)(y_1(x) + v^{-1})^2\\ &= P(x) + Q(x)y_1(x) + Q(x)v^{-1} + R(x)y_1(x)^2 + 2R(x)y_1(x)v^{-1} + R(x)v^{-2}\\ &= P(x) + [Q(x) + 2R(x)y_1(x)]v^{-1} + R(x)v^{-2}\\ - v^{-2}v^{\prime} &= [Q(x) + 2R(x)y_1(x)]v^{-1} + R(x)v^{-2} \end{aligned} $$

Since

$$ \begin{aligned} y_1^{\prime}(x) = \dfrac{dy_1(x)}{dx} = P(x) + Q(x)y_1 + R(x)y_1^2 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y_1^{\prime}(x) = \dfrac{dy_1(x)}{dx} = P(x) + Q(x)y_1 + R(x)y_1^2 \end{aligned} $$

Multiplying both sides with $v^2$

$$ \begin{aligned} v^{\prime} &= -[Q(x) + 2R(x)y_1(x)]v - R(x)\\ v^{\prime} + [Q(x) + 2R(x)y_1(x)]v &= -R(x) \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} v^{\prime} &= -[Q(x) + 2R(x)y_1(x)]v - R(x)\\ v^{\prime} + [Q(x) + 2R(x)y_1(x)]v &= -R(x) \end{aligned} $$

$\textbf{\small Example: }$ Find the solution of the initial value problem of $y_1(x) = \sin(x)$ is a particular solution of the differential equation

$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} = 1-\cos^2(x) + \cos(x) -2y\sin(x) + y^2, \; y(0) = 1 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \dfrac{dy}{dx} = 1-\cos^2(x) + \cos(x) -2y\sin(x) + y^2, \; y(0) = 1 \end{aligned} $$

We have differential equation in the form of the Ricatti’s differential equation as follows:

$$ \begin{aligned} P(x) &= 1-\cos^2(x)+\cos(x)\\ Q(x) &= -2\sin(x)\\ R(x) &= 1 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} P(x) &= 1-\cos^2(x)+\cos(x)\\ Q(x) &= -2\sin(x)\\ R(x) &= 1 \end{aligned} $$

Let $y = y_1 + v^{-1}$. Then $y = \sin(x) + v^{-1}$ and $\frac{dy}{dx} = \cos(x) - v^{-2}\frac{dv}{dx}$.

$$ \begin{aligned} \cos(x) - v^{-2}\dfrac{dv}{dx} &= 1-\cos^2(x) + \cos(x) -2\sin(x)[\sin(x) + v^{-1}] + [\sin(x) + v^{-1}]^2\\ &= 1-\cos^2(x) + \cos(x) -2\sin^2(x) - 2\sin(x)v^{-1} + \sin^2(x) + 2\sin(x)v^{-1} + v^{-2}\\ -v^{-2}\dfrac{dv}{dx} &= 1 - (\cos^2(x) + \sin^2(x)) + v^{-2}\\ -v^{-2}\dfrac{dv}{dx} &= v^{-2}\\ \dfrac{dv}{dx} &= -1 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} \cos(x) - v^{-2}\dfrac{dv}{dx} &= 1-\cos^2(x) + \cos(x) -2\sin(x)[\sin(x) + v^{-1}] + [\sin(x) + v^{-1}]^2\\ &= 1-\cos^2(x) + \cos(x) -2\sin^2(x) - 2\sin(x)v^{-1} + \sin^2(x) + 2\sin(x)v^{-1} + v^{-2}\\ -v^{-2}\dfrac{dv}{dx} &= 1 - (\cos^2(x) + \sin^2(x)) + v^{-2}\\ -v^{-2}\dfrac{dv}{dx} &= v^{-2}\\ \dfrac{dv}{dx} &= -1 \end{aligned} $$

Thus $v = -x + C$ and $y = \sin(x) + v^{-1}$ implies

$$ \begin{aligned} y(x) = \sin(x) + \dfrac{1}{C-x} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y(x) = \sin(x) + \dfrac{1}{C-x} \end{aligned} $$

is one parameter solution of Ricatti’s equation.

$$ \begin{aligned} y(0) = \sin(0) + \dfrac{1}{C} = \dfrac{1}{C} = 1 \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y(0) = \sin(0) + \dfrac{1}{C} = \dfrac{1}{C} = 1 \end{aligned} $$

Therefore, the solution of IVP

$$ \begin{aligned} y(x) = \sin(x) + \dfrac{1}{1-x} \end{aligned} $$
$$ \begin{aligned} y(x) = \sin(x) + \dfrac{1}{1-x} \end{aligned} $$