TOPIC 3 2025/2026
TUTORIAL 3: FIRST ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
1. Find the general solution for the following.
dy x 2 + 1 dy
a) xy = b) = e 2 x− y
dx y +1 dx
dy e y sec
c) =
d y cos
2. Find the general solution of the given differential equations.
dy dy
a) x = y + x 2 (sin x + cos x ) b) + y tan = cos
dx d
( 2 −x
c) xdy = y + x e dx ) dx
d) ( y + 1) − 3x = 2( y + 1)
dy
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3. Solve the given differential equations subject to the indicated initial condition.
dy dy
a) x 2 + y = 1 , y(1) =1 − e b) cos x + y sin x = e x cos 2 x , x = 0, y = 2
dx dx
dy 2
4. Find the particular solution of the differential equation + (2 x + 1) y = 12 x 3 e − x − x , given that
dx
y = 5 , when x = 0 .
x( y + 1)
5. Find the equation of the curve in which the gradient is and the curve passes through
x2 +1
( -3, 1 ).
6. The rate increase of bacteria is proportional to the number of bacteria N, present at any time t
𝒅𝑵
days after the experiment is given by = 𝒌𝑵. Given that the number of bacteria at the
𝒅𝒕
beginning is N0, and after 10 days is N02.
Find in terms of N0,
a) the number of bacteria after 30 days.
b) the days taken for the number of bacteria to be N07.
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7. The atoms of certain radioactive elements disintegrate such that it is known that the amount of
dP(t )
such substances changes at a rate proportional to the amount present where = −kP(t ) .
dt
Polonium P(t) decays into lead such that after 100 days it has lost 30 % of its initial amount.
Find the half-life of Polonium.
v
8. A raindrop falls with acceleration 9.81 − m/s2, where v is the velocity in m/s. Find the
3.2
raindrop’s velocity as time increases without bound assuming the raindrop’s initial velocity is
0.
9. The rate of cooling is proportional to the difference in the temperatures, that is;
dT
= −k (T − a), where T (t ) is the temperature of the object at any time t, a is the ambient
dt
temperature and k is a constant. A cook monitors the temperature of an ice cream that is kept
in a freezer set at -180 °C. At 12 noon the temperature of the ice cream is -110 °C and at 1
p.m. the temperature of the ice cream is -160 °C. If the temperature of the ice cream was
initially -20 °C at what time was the ice cream kept in the freezer.
10. The basic equation governing the amount of current I in a simple RL is given by
dI
L + RI = E. Suppose in a simple circuit, the resistance, R is 12Ω and the inductance, L is
dt
4H. If a battery gives a constant voltage of 60V and the switch is closed when t = 0, so the
current starts with I(0)=0. Find
a) I(t)
b) the current after 1 second
11. A certain radioactive material is known to decay at a rate proportional to the amount
dN
present, following this equation, = kN . If initially 500 mg of the material is present
dt
and after 3 years, 20 percent of the original mass has decayed, find an expression for
the mass any time t.
a) Determine the amount remaining after 25 years.
b) Determine the amount remaining after 200 weeks. (Hint: 1 year = 52 weeks)
c) Determine the amount of time required for the material to decay to 30 percent of its original
amount.
d) Determine the amount of time required for the material to decay to 250 mg.
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TUTORIAL 2 : FIRST ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
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MATHEMATICS UNIT JOHOR ENGINEERING MATRICULATION COLLEGE
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e2x + A
1. (a) 2 y 3 + 3 y 2 = 3x 2 + 6 ln x + A (b) y = ln
2
y +1
(c) = − tan + A
ey
2. (a) y = x(sin x − cos x + c) (b) y = ( + c) cos
(c) y = x(−e − x + c) (d) x = ( y + 1)3[( y + 1) 2 + c]
( )
1
3. (a) y = 1− e x
(b) y = cos x e x + 1
2
4. y = (3x 4 + 5)e − x −x
1
10 2
5. y=
5
(
x +1 2 −1)
6. (a) (N0)4 (b) 60 days
7. t =194 days
8. v = 31.392m/s
9. 11.20 a.m
10. (a) I = 5(1 − e−3t ) (b) 4.75A
11. (a) 77.875mg (b) 375.607mg
(c) 16.2 years (d) 9.32 years
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