Initial Conditions and Separation of Variables

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AP Calculus AB › Initial Conditions and Separation of Variables

Questions 1 - 10
1

A population satisfies $\frac{dP}{dt}=0.2P$ with $P(0)=50$. Which function gives the particular solution?

$P(t)=50+0.2t$

$P(t)=e^{0.2t}$

$P(t)=50e^{0.2t}$

$P(t)=50e^{-0.2t}$

$P(t)=0.2e^{t}$

Explanation

This problem requires using initial conditions to find the particular solution to a differential equation solved by separation of variables. After separating variables and integrating, we obtain the general solution P(t) = C $e^{0.2t}$. We then plug in the initial condition P(0) = 50 to find C = 50. This determines the specific function that satisfies both the differential equation and the initial value. A common distractor, such as choice B, fails because it omits the constant determined by the initial condition, resulting in P(0) = 1 instead of 50. In general, to apply initial conditions, substitute the given point into the general solution and solve for the constant to get the particular solution.

2

A solution to $\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{x}{y}$ satisfies $y(0)=3$. Which is the particular solution?

$y=\sqrt{2x^2+9}$

$y=\sqrt{x^2}$

$y=\sqrt{x^2+9}$

$y=\sqrt{x^2-9}$

$y=x^2+9$

Explanation

This problem requires using initial conditions to find the particular solution to a differential equation solved by separation of variables. After separating variables and integrating, we obtain the general solution $y^2 = x^2 + C$. We then plug in the initial condition $y(0) = 3$ to find C = 9, giving $y = \sqrt{x^2 + 9}$. This determines the specific function that satisfies both the differential equation and the initial value. A common distractor, such as choice B, fails because it omits the constant, resulting in $y(0) = 0 \neq 3$. In general, to apply initial conditions, substitute the given point into the general solution and solve for the constant to get the particular solution.

3

A solution to $\frac{dy}{dx}=e^x y$ satisfies $y(0)=3$. Which is the particular solution?

$y=3(e^x-1)$

$y=3e^{e^x-1}$

$y=3e^{e^x}$

$y=e^{e^x-1}$

$y=3e^{1-e^x}$

Explanation

This problem requires using initial conditions to find the particular solution to a differential equation solved by separation of variables. After separating variables and integrating, we obtain the general solution y = C $e^{e^x}$. We then plug in the initial condition y(0) = 3 to find C = 3 $e^{-1}$, giving y = 3 $e^{e^x - 1}$. This determines the specific function that satisfies both the differential equation and the initial value. A common distractor, such as choice B, fails because it ignores the constant adjustment, resulting in y(0) = 3 e ≠ 3. In general, to apply initial conditions, substitute the given point into the general solution and solve for the constant to get the particular solution.

4

A solution to $\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{2x}{y}$ satisfies $y(1)=2$. Which is the particular solution?

$y=\sqrt{x^2+2}$

$y=2x^2+2$

$y=\sqrt{4x^2+4}$

$y=\sqrt{2x^2+2}$

$y=\sqrt{2x^2-2}$

Explanation

This problem requires using initial conditions to find the particular solution to a differential equation solved by separation of variables. After separating variables and integrating, we obtain the general solution $y^2$ = $2x^2$ + C. We then plug in the initial condition y(1) = 2 to find C = 2, giving y = $√(2x^2$ + 2). This determines the specific function that satisfies both the differential equation and the initial value. A common distractor, such as choice B, fails because it uses a negative constant, leading to imaginary values at x=1. In general, to apply initial conditions, substitute the given point into the general solution and solve for the constant to get the particular solution.

5

A bacteria culture satisfies $\frac{dB}{dt}=3B$ with $B(1)=2$. Which is the particular solution $B(t)$?

$B(t)=2e^{3(t-1)}$

$B(t)=e^{3(t-1)}$

$B(t)=2+3(t-1)$

$B(t)=2e^{-3(t-1)}$

$B(t)=2e^{3t}$

Explanation

This problem requires using initial conditions to find the particular solution to a differential equation solved by separation of variables. After separating variables and integrating, we obtain the general solution B(t) = C $e^{3t}$. We then plug in the initial condition B(1) = 2 to find C = 2 $e^{-3}$, which gives B(t) = 2 $e^{3(t-1)}$. This determines the specific function that satisfies both the differential equation and the initial value. A common distractor, such as choice A, fails because it uses the initial condition at t=0 instead of t=1, resulting in B(1) = 2 $e^{3}$ ≠ 2. In general, to apply initial conditions, substitute the given point into the general solution and solve for the constant to get the particular solution.

6

A solution to $\frac{dy}{dx}=(2-x)y$ satisfies $y(1)=3$. Which is the particular solution?

$y=3e^{2x-x^2/2-3/2}$

$y=3e^{-2x+x^2/2-3/2}$

$y=3e^{2x-x^2/2}$

$y=e^{2x-x^2/2-3/2}$

$y=3(2x-x^2/2-3/2)$

Explanation

This problem requires using initial conditions to find the particular solution to a differential equation solved by separation of variables. After separating variables and integrating, we obtain the general solution y = C $e^{2x - x^2/2}$. We then plug in the initial condition y(1) = 3 to find C = 3 $e^{-3/2}$, giving y = 3 $e^{2x - x^2/2 - 3/2}$. This determines the specific function that satisfies both the differential equation and the initial value. A common distractor, such as choice B, fails because it ignores the adjustment for the initial condition at x=1. In general, to apply initial conditions, substitute the given point into the general solution and solve for the constant to get the particular solution.

7

A solution to $\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{3y}{x}$ satisfies $y(2)=12$. Which is the particular solution?

$y=12x^3$

$y=\frac{12}{x^3}$

$y=\frac{3}{2}\ln x$

$y=\frac{3}{2}x^3$

$y=\frac{3}{2}x$

Explanation

This problem requires using separation of variables to solve the differential equation and then applying the initial condition to find the particular solution. By separating variables, we obtain dy/y = 3 dx/x, and integrating both sides gives ln|y| = 3 ln|x| + C, leading to the general solution y = K $x^3$. Substituting the initial condition y(2) = 12 into the general solution yields 12 = K cdot 8, so K = 3/2. This determines the constant K conceptually by solving the resulting equation after plugging in the given values. A tempting distractor is choice B, y = 12 $x^3$, which fails because it incorrectly uses the initial y-value as the coefficient without dividing by $x^3$ at the initial point. Always integrate the separated differential equation to find the general solution first, then substitute the initial condition to solve for the arbitrary constant.

8

A solution to $\frac{dy}{dx}=xy$ passes through $(0,5)$. Which is the particular solution?

$y=\frac{5}{2}e^{x^2}$

$y=5e^{-x^2/2}$

$y=e^{x^2/2}$

$y=5e^{x^2/2}$

$y=5+\frac{x^2}{2}$

Explanation

This problem requires using initial conditions to find the particular solution to a differential equation solved by separation of variables. After separating variables and integrating, we obtain the general solution y = C $e^{x^2/2}$. We then plug in the initial condition y(0) = 5 to find C = 5. This determines the specific function that satisfies both the differential equation and the initial value. A common distractor, such as choice B, fails because it omits the constant from the initial condition, resulting in y(0) = 1 instead of 5. In general, to apply initial conditions, substitute the given point into the general solution and solve for the constant to get the particular solution.

9

A solution to $\frac{dy}{dx}=-\frac{2y}{x}$ satisfies $y(2)=1$. Which is the particular solution?

$y=\frac{4}{x^2}$

$y=\frac{x^2}{4}$

$y=\frac{4}{x}$

$y=\frac{2}{x^2}$

$y=4x^2$

Explanation

This problem requires using initial conditions to find the particular solution to a differential equation solved by separation of variables. After separating variables and integrating, we obtain the general solution y = C / $x^2$. We then plug in the initial condition y(2) = 1 to find C = 4, giving y = 4 / $x^2$. This determines the specific function that satisfies both the differential equation and the initial value. A common distractor, such as choice B, fails because it halves the constant incorrectly, resulting in y(2) = 2/4 = 0.5 ≠ 1. In general, to apply initial conditions, substitute the given point into the general solution and solve for the constant to get the particular solution.

10

A solution to $\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{1+x}{y}$ satisfies $y(0)=1$. Which is the particular solution?

$y=\sqrt{x^2+2x+1}$

$y=\sqrt{2x^2+2x+1}$

$y=\sqrt{x^2+2x}$

$y=x^2+2x+1$

$y=\sqrt{x^2+2x+2}$

Explanation

This problem requires using initial conditions to find the particular solution to a differential equation solved by separation of variables. After separating variables and integrating, we obtain the general solution $y^2$ = $x^2$ + 2x + C. We then plug in the initial condition y(0) = 1 to find C = 1, giving y = $√(x^2$ + 2x + 1). This determines the specific function that satisfies both the differential equation and the initial value. A common distractor, such as choice B, fails because it omits the constant, resulting in y(0) = 0 ≠ 1. In general, to apply initial conditions, substitute the given point into the general solution and solve for the constant to get the particular solution.

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