Modeling Situations with Differential Equations
Introduced| English |
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| differential equation/ˌdɪfəˈrenʃl ɪˈkweɪʒn/ |
Equations that describe change itself
- Many real laws describe not a quantity, but how fast it changes.
- A differential equation 微分方程 relates a function to its derivatives.
- "Population grows at a rate proportional to its size" becomes $\dfrac{dP}{dt}=kP$.
- Solving it recovers the function; this unit is about writing and solving such equations.
A rate equation's slope field
The equation $\tfrac{dy}{dt}=ky$ says the rate is proportional to $y$ — its slope field shows the growth it models.
A differential equation relates a function to its...
It involves the function and its derivative(s).
Translating words into a rate equation
- The phrase "the rate of change of $y$" is $\dfrac{dy}{dt}$ — the left side of your equation.
- "proportional to $y$" → $ky$; "proportional to the difference from $M$" → $k(M-y)$.
- Match the English description of the rate to an expression in $y$ (and maybe $t$).
- The whole model is: (rate of change) = (that expression).
"The rate of change of $y$ is proportional to $y$" becomes...
Rate of change $\frac{dy}{dt}$ = $k$ times $y$.
Water drains at a rate proportional to the amount $W$. The model is...
Draining means decreasing → negative rate: $-kW$.
Common modeling phrases
- Proportional to the amount: $\dfrac{dy}{dt}=ky$ — exponential growth/decay.
- Proportional to the amount present and remaining: $\dfrac{dy}{dt}=ky(M-y)$ — logistic-type.
- Constant rate: $\dfrac{dy}{dt}=c$.
- Reading the phrase tells you the right-hand side.
Match each phrase to its rate expression.
Read the phrase to build the right-hand side.
A differential equation has a family of solutions
- Unlike an algebraic equation (one unknown number), a differential equation has an unknown function.
- Its solution is usually a family of functions (with a constant), not a single answer.
- A specific member is pinned down later by an initial condition (lesson 7.7).
- For now, the goal is just to write the equation from the situation.
$y=kt$ (with no derivative) is a differential equation.
A differential equation must involve a derivative.
The solution of a differential equation is usually a ____ of functions, not a single one.
A constant remains until an initial condition fixes it.
A differential equation involves a derivative — it's a statement about a rate, not the quantity itself. "$y$ is proportional to $t$" ($y=kt$) is not a differential equation; "the rate of change of $y$ is proportional to $y$" ($\frac{dy}{dt}=ky$) is. Look for the "rate of change" language.
"A tank's water drains at a rate proportional to the amount of water $W$." Write the model.
- Rate of change of $W$: $\dfrac{dW}{dt}$.
- Proportional to $W$, and draining (decreasing) → $\dfrac{dW}{dt}=-kW$ (with $k>0$).
- The negative sign encodes that the water is decreasing.
A differential equation relates a function to its derivatives — it models a rate of change. Translate the words: "rate of change of $y$" is $\frac{dy}{dt}$, "proportional to $y$" is $ky$, and so on. Its solution is a family of functions, pinned down later by an initial condition.