INTEGRATING

FACTORS
If the DE M ( x , y ) dx  N ( x , y ) dy  0 …….(1)
is not exact but when multiplied by a factor  ( x , y )
and the resulting equation
 ( x , y ) M ( x , y )dx   ( x , y ) N ( x , y )dy  0
is exact then ( x , y ) is called an integrating factor
of the DE (1). Following are the guidelines / Rules
for finding the integrating factor:-
My  Nx
a. If eq (1) is not exact and P
where P is a function of x only. N
Then eq (1) has an integrating factor (I.F)  ( x )
which also depends on x.  (Is
x )solution of

d d
 P   Pdx   ( x)  e  pdx
dx 
b. If equation (1) is not exact and N x  M y
Q
M
where Q is a function of y only. Then eq (1) has an
integrating factor  ( y ) which also depends on y.
( y)
d d of
is solution

dy
 Q 

 Qdy   ( y)  e  Qdy

xM  yN  0
c. If eq (1) is
1 homogeneous and
then is the I.F of eq (1)
xM  yN
yf ( x , y )dx  xf ( x , y )dy  0
xM(1)isyN
d. If eq  0form
of the 1
and then is the IF
xM  yN
e. When the DE
x y ( yAdx  xBdy )  0
a b

(a, b, A and B being constants) Is not exact, then

kA  1 a kB 1 b
(x y )
is an integrating factor of the DE where K is any
constant whose value  to
xdy is ydxbe  0
determined.,
Example The eq 1 is not exact.
2
x it becomes an exact
But if we multiply it by
DE and its solution is
xdy  ydx y y
2
 0  d{ }  0   c
x x x
Note: The number of I F of an eq may be infinite.
The following differential formulas are useful in
the calculation of certain Exact equation by
inspection or Regrouping.
1. xdy  ydx  d ( xy )

1 2 1
2. xdy  ydx  d [ ( x  y )]  d ( x  y )
2 2 2

2 2
xdy  ydx y
3.
2
 d[ ]
x x
xdy  ydx x x
4.
2
 d [ ]   d [ ]
y y y
 xdy  ydx y
5.  d [ln ]
xy x
6. xdy  ydx 1 y
 d [tan { }]
x y
2 2
x
xdy  ydx 1 x y
7.  d[ { }]
x y
2 2
2 x y
xdy  ydx 1y
8.  d [sin { }]
x x y
2 2 x
 dx  dy
9.  d [ln( x  y )]
x y

xdy  ydx 1
10.
2 2
 d [ ]
x y xy
ydx  xdy 1 x y
11.  d[ { }]
( x  y) 2
2 x y

12. xdy  ydx 1 x y

 d[ { }]
( x  y) 2
2 x y
Solve (4 x  3 y )dx  2 xydy  0
2 ………
(1)
Here .... M  4 x  3 y .... N  2 xy2

Soln:
M N
  6 y ..and ...  2y
y x
 M N
  ..so eq is not exact
y x
M  N

y x 6 y  2 y 2
  
N 2 xy x
dx
(a function of x alone)
2 x ln x 2
IF  e e 2 ln x
e x 2
Multiply eq (1) by IF x 2 , we obtain
(4 x  3 x y )dx  2 x ydy  0
3 2 2 3 ………..(2)

Now... M  4 x  3 x y ..and .. N  2 x y
3 2 2 3

M N
  6x y ..and ...
2
 6x 2 y
y x
Eq (2) become exact, therefore soln is

 Mdx 
y  constant
 Ndy  c
Free from x


 (4 x  3 x y )dx   0dy c
3 2 2

y  constant Free from x

 x x y c
4 3 2
Solve
xdy  ydx  ( x  y )dx
2 2

Soln: The given eq may be written as

xdy  ydx
xdy  ydx x 2
 dx   dx
x y
2 2
x y
2 2

2
xdy  ydx x
2
 x  dx
2
 y
1  
 x
 y 1
 d [tan {  }]  dx
x
Integrate it

y 1
 tan {  }  x  c
x
y
  tan( x  c)
x

 y  x tan( x  c)
Solve ( 2 xy  y )dx  x dy  0
2 2 ………
(1)
Here .... M  2 xy  y .... N   x
2 2

Soln:
M N
  2 x  2 y ..and ...  2x
y x
 M N
  ..so eq is not exact
y x
N  M

x y  2x  2 y  2 y  2x  4 y
  
M y  2 xy
2
y( y  2 x )
 2( y  2 x )  2
 
y( y  2 x ) y
(a function of y alone)
 dy
 g ( y ) dy 
2
 2 ln y ln y  2 2 1
IF  e e e y
e y  2
1
y
Multiply eq (1) by IF 2
, we obtain
y
2
2x x dy
(1  )dx  2  0 ………..(2)
y y
2
2x x
Now .. M  1  ..and .. N   2
y y
M 2x N 2x
  ..and ... 
y y x y
Eq (2) become exact
Therefore soln is
 Mdx   Ndy  c
y  constant Free from x

2x

 (1 
y
)dx  0dy  c
Free from x

y  constant

2
x
 x c
y
Solve dy dy
y x  x y
dx dx
Soln: dy
y  x  ( x  y)
dx
( y  x )dx  ( x  y )dy  0
Here M = y-x and N = -(x+y)
M N
  1..and ...  -1
y x
eq is not exact

Mx  Ny  xy  x  xy  y  ( x  y )
2 2 2 2

1
IF   2
(x  y )
2
 1
  2
(x  y )
2
[( y  x )dx  ( x  y )dy ]  0

 y  x)   x y 
  2 dx   2
2 
dy  0
2 
x y  x y 
ydx xdx  x y 
 x y
2 2
 2   2
x y x y 
2
dy  0
2 

ydx xdx
  Mdx   x y
2 2
  x y
2 2
y.constant
 1
[ ]dx
y 1 2 xdx
  Mdx  
x 2
[
2  x y
2 2
]
y  constant [ 2 ] 1
y
x 1
  y 2
1
Mdx  tan [ ]  ln( x  y )
2 2

y  constant

x
  y
1
Mdx  tan [ ]  ln ( x  y )
2 2

y  constant

Now  Ndy   o.dy  c

Free from x
The solution is  Mdx 
y  constant
 Ndy  c
Free from x

x 1
 1
tan [ ]  ln( x  y )  c
y 2
2 2
Solve y( xy  2 x y )dx  x( xy  x y )dy  0
2 2 2 2

Soln: ( xy  2 x y )dx  ( x y  x y )dy  0

2 2 3 2 3 2

Here .. M  ( xy  2 x y )
2 2 3

and .. N  ( x y  x y )
2 3 2

M N
  2 xy  6 x y ..and ...
2 2
 2 xy  3 x y
2 2

y x
 eq is not exact, so

Mx  Ny  x y  2 x y  x y  x y
2 2 3 3 2 2 3 3

 3x y  0
3 3
 1
 IF  3 3
3x y
1
 3 3
3x y
( xy  2 x y )dx
2 2 3

1
 3 3 ( x y  x y )dy  0
2 3 2

3x y

1 2 1 1
 ( 2  )dx  ( 2  )dy  0
x y x x y y
 dx dy 2dx dy
 2  2   0
x y x y x y
ydx  xdy 2dx dy
 2 2
  0
x y x y
2 2dx dy
 ( xy ) d ( xy )   0
x y
On integration, we get
1 1 2
x
 2 ln x  ln y  c   ln c
xy xy y
Solve ( 3 y  4 xy )dx  ( 2 x  3 x y )dy  0
2 2

Soln: 3 ydx  4 xy dx  2 xdy  3 x ydy  0

2 2

 4 xy dx  2 xdy  3 ydx  3 x ydy  0

2 2

 x(4 y dx  2dy )  y( 3dx  3 x dy )  0

2 2

 x y (4 y dx  2dy )  x y ( 3dx  3 x dy )  0
1 0 2 0 1 2

 Eq-I + Eq-II=0
Solving eq-I, a=1, b=0, A=4 and B=2
 IF x kA1 a y kB 1 b  x 4 k 11 y 2 k 1 0  x 4 k  2 y 2 k 1
Solving eq-II, a=0, b=1, A=3 and B=3
 so IF is
k1 A  1  a k1 B  1  b 3 k1  1  0 3 k1  1  1 3 k1  1 3 k1  2
x y x y x y
Now
4k  2  3k1  1  4k  3k1  1...(i )
And
2k  1  3k1  2  2k  3k1  1...(ii )
Solving eq (i) and eq (ii), we get k  1  k1

So IF x y 2

 x 2 y( 3 y  4 xy 2 )dx  x 2 y( 2 x  3 x 2 y )dy  0
 ( 3 x 2 y 2  4 x 3 y 3 )dx  ( 2 x 3 y  3 x 4 y 2 )dy  0

 M  (3 x 2
y  4 x y )..and .. N  ( 2 x y  3 x y )
2 3 3 3 4 2

M N
 6 x y  12 x y ..and ..
2 3 2
 6 x 2 y  12 x 3 y 2
y x
 eq is exact
So solution is
 Mdx 
y  constant
 Ndy  c
Free from x

  (3 x 2
y  4 x y )dx  0.dy  c
2 3 3

 xy 3 2
 x4 y3  c
Solve ( y  4 y )dx  ( x  x y )dy  0
2 2 2

Solve e dx  (e cot y  2 y csc y )dy  0

x x