Integrating Factors

Found by
Inspection

This section will use the following

four exact differentials that occurs
frequently :
d ( xy ) xdy ydx

xdy ydx

x2

ydx xdy
y2

y
xdy ydx
arctan
x
x2 y2

y
xdy ydx

d arctan 2
x
x y2

y
where : u
x
xdy ydx
2
x

2
y
1
x

xdy ydx
du
x2

xdy ydx
2
x

y2
1 2
x

xdy ydx
y
d arctan
x
x2 y2

From

xdy ydx
2
x
2
x y2
x2

Answer

d (arctan u )

du
1 u2

xdy ydx
x2

2
2
x
x y2

Process :
1. Regroup terms of like degree to form
equations from those exact differentials
given.
2. Substitute the terms with their
corresponding equivalent of exact
differentials.
3. Integrate.
4. Simplify further.

Examples :
1. y (2 xy 1) dx xdy 0

2 xy 2 dx ydx xdy 0
Group terms of like degree

2 xy dx ( ydx xdy ) 0
2

2 xy 2 dx ( ydx xdy ) 0
y2

ydx xdy
2 xdx
0
y2

Divide by y2

ydx xdy
....2 xdx
0
y2
x
2 xdx d 0
y

From d x ydx xdy

2
y
y

Integrate each term

x
2 xdx d 0
y
x 2
x
2 c
y
2

By power formula

 x 2
x
......2 c
y
2

Multiply each terms by y to

eliminate fractions

x
x y c y

x y x cy
2

x( xy 1) cy

Answer

2. y ( x 3 y )dx x( x 3 y )dy 0
3
2
4
x ydx y dx x dy xydy 0
Group terms of like degree

( x ydx x dy ) ( y dx xydy ) 0
3

Form one of the 4 exact differentials given

by factoring common factors on each term

x ( ydx xdy ) y ( ydx xdy ) 0

3

......x 3 ( ydx xdy ) y ( ydx xdy ) 0

Divide each term by y2 to form an exact differential

x ( ydx xdy ) y ( ydx xdy ) 0

y2
3

x
d ( xy )
x d
0
y
y
3

From
:

x
ydx xdy

2
y
y

d ( xy ) xdy ydx

Since we cant
integrate

x
d ( xy )
x d
0 directly
y
y
3

Assume an integrating factor is xkyn.

d xy k n
x
0 x y
x d
y
y

Distribute to each term

x k n d xy k n
x d x y
x y 0
y
y

x 3 k x
k n 1
d

x
y d ( xy ) 0

n
y
y

x 3 k x
k n 1
d

x
y d ( xy ) 0

n
y
y
Solve for k and n.

x
@d
y

x 3 k
y n

Equate :

3 k n

@ d xy

xk
y n 1

Equate :

k n 1

Substitute 2 in 1 .

3 (n 1) n
2n 2

n 1

Substitute n in 1 .

3 k (1)
k 1 3

k 2

Thus; Substitute (n = -1 & k = -2) to

x 3 k x
k n 1
d

x
y d ( xy ) 0

n
y
y

x 3 ( 2) x
2 11
d

x
y d ( xy ) 0

( 1)
y
y
x
d
y

x
d ( xy )
2 2 0
y
x y

x
d
y

x
d ( xy )
0 Integrate each term

2
y
xy

x
d
y

x
d ( xy )
0

2
y
( xy )

By power formula

x
...... d
y
x
y

2

x
d ( xy )
0

2
y
( xy )

xy

1 x

c 0

Multiply by 2

1
c

0
2
xy
2

x 2
c 0
2
y xy

Answer

c
where : c
2

3. y ( x 2 y 2 1)dx x( x 2 y 2 1)dy 0
y ( x y )dx x( x y )dy xdy ydx 0
2

Divide by (x2+y2)

y ( x y )dx x ( x y )dy xdy ydx

2
0
2
2
2
2
2
(x y )
(x y )
(x y )
2

xdy ydx
( ydx xdy ) 2
0
2
x y

xdy ydx
......( ydx xdy ) 2
0
2
x y
from
y

d ( xy ) d arctan
d ( xy ) ydx xdy
x

y
xdy ydx
d arctan
x
x2 y2

Integrate each term

y
d ( xy) d arctan x
y
xy arctan c Answer
x

4.xy ( y 2 1) dx ( x 2 y 2 2)dy 0
3
2 2
xy dx xydx x y dy 2dy 0

x=1,y=1

Group terms of like degree

( xy dx x y dy ) xydx 2dy 0
3

Form one of the 4 exact differentials given by

factoring common factor on the grouped term

xy ( ydx xdy ) xydx 2dy 0

2

......xy ( ydx xdy ) xydx 2dy 0

2

Divide by y to integrate each term

xy 2 ( ydx xdy ) xydx 2dy

0
y
y
y
dy
xyd ( xy ) xd ( x ) 2 0
from d ( xy ) ydx xdy
y
Integrate each term

dy
xyd ( xy) xd ( x) 2 y 0

By power formula

dy
...... xyd ( xy ) xd ( x) 2
0
y
2
2
xy
x 2 ln y c Multiply by 2 to

eliminate fractions
2
2
xy 2 x 2

2 ln y c 2

2
2

( xy ) 2 x 2 4(ln y ) 2c where 2c = c
x y x 4(ln y ) c
2

x ( y 1) 4(ln y ) c general solution

2

x ( y 1) 4(ln y ) c
2

When x=1 , y=1

Solve for c :

(1 1 ) 1 4(ln1) c
2

20 c
c2
Substitute c in the general solution

x ( y 1) 4(ln y ) 2
2

x ( y 1) 2 4(ln y ) particular solution

2

5.x( x 2 y 2 x)dx y ( x 2 y 2 )dy 0

x=2,y=0

x 3 dx xy 2 dx x 2 dx x 2 ydy y 3dy 0
Group terms of like degree

xy 2 dx x 2 ydy x 3dx y 3dy x 2 dx 0 Multiply by -1

xy 2 dx x 2 ydy x 3dx y 3dy x 2 dx 0
2
2
3
2
3
xy
dx

x
ydy

x
dx

x
dx

y
dy 0

...... xy 2 dx x 2 ydy x 3dx x 2 dx y 3dy 0

Form one of the 4 exact differentials given by
factoring common factor on the grouped term(s)

xy ydx xdy x 3dx x 2 dx y 3dy 0

xyd ( xy ) x 3dx x 2 dx y 3dy 0 from d ( xy ) ydx xdy
Integrate each term
3
2
3
xyd
(
xy
)

x
dx

x
dx

dy 0 By power formula

( xy ) 2 x 4 x 3 y 4

c
2
4 3 4

( xy ) 2 x 4 x 3 y 4
......

c
2
4 3 4
Multiply by their LCD = 12 to eliminate the fractions

( xy ) 2 x 4 x 3 y 4
2 4 3 4 c 12

6( xy ) 2 3 x 4 4 x 3 3 y 4 12c where 12c = c

6( xy ) 2 3 x 4 4 x 3 3 y 4 c general solution

6( xy ) 3 x 4 x 3 y c
2

When x = 2 , y = 0

Solve for c :

6(2 0) 2 3(2) 4 4(2)3 3(0) 4 c

48 32 c
c 16
Substitute c in the general solution

6( xy ) 2 3x 4 4 x 3 3 y 4 16
2 2
4
4
3
6 x y 3x 3 y 4 x 16
2 2
4
4
3
3(2 x y x y ) 4( x 4) particular solution