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I am recently studying how to solve ordinary differential equations. However, in class all the examples I learnt are second order differential equations. I wonder if there is a principle way to solve ode involving $x^3$?

Here is one equation: $$\frac{dx}{dt}-ax^3=0,$$ where $a$ is a positive coefficient. How can we solve such an equation?

I realize we are using the technique of changing variables, then what if we have two more terms: $$\frac{dx}{dt}-bx-ax^3-cx^5=0,$$ where a, b and c are all positive coefficients. In this case, we have more complicated order relationship among these terms. By changing variables, won't we introduce too many new variables and make the equation harder to solve?

Thanks!

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    $\begingroup$ Have a look at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_variables $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 15, 2021 at 8:21
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    $\begingroup$ Welcome to MSE. Your question is phrased as an isolated problem, without any further information or context. This does not match many users' quality standards, so it may attract downvotes, or closed. To prevent that, please edit the question. This will help you recognise and resolve the issues. Concretely: please provide context, and include your work and thoughts on the problem. These changes can help in formulating more appropriate answers. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 15, 2021 at 8:21
  • $\begingroup$ You confuse order and degree. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 6:28
  • $\begingroup$ The last equation is separable, and solved via $$\int\frac{dx}{bx+ax^3+cx^5}=t+C.$$ $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 6:29

2 Answers 2

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Your differential equation is of the form $\frac{dx}{dt} = f(x) g(t)$. This type of equation is called a separable differential equation because you can solve it by separating the "$x$" part and the "$t$" part as follows $$ \frac{dx}{dt} = f(x) g(t) \implies \int \frac{1}{f(x)} \, dx = \int g(t) \, dt $$


In your case we get $$ \frac{dx}{dt} = \underbrace{\left(x^3 \right)}_{\color{blue}{f(x)}} \underbrace{(a)}_{\color{blue}{g(t)}} \color{purple}{\implies} \int \frac{1}{x^3} \, dx = \int a \, dt \color{purple}{\implies}- \frac{1}{2x^2} = at + C^* \color{purple}{\implies} \boxed{x(t) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{-2at + C}}} $$ where $C$ is some arbitrary constant.

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    $\begingroup$ Thank you Robert for the derivation! It helps a lot $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 18, 2021 at 22:35
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Let us consider the following change of variable: $y=x^{-2}$ then \begin{equation}\label{as} x^2 = \frac{1}{y} \ \ \ \Longrightarrow \ \ \ 2\dot{x}x = -\frac{1}{y^2} \dot{y} \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ (1) \end{equation} let's multiply by 2x the equation $\dot{x} = ax^3$, \begin{equation} 2\dot{x}x = 2ax^4 \ \ \ \ \ \mbox{(here I had an error)} \end{equation} using equation (1) we obtain that \begin{equation} -\frac{1}{y^2}\dot{y} = \frac{2a}{y^2} \ \ \ \Longrightarrow \ \ \ \dot{y} = -2a \end{equation} integrating we obtain \begin{equation} y(t) = -2at + C. \end{equation} Remembering that $y=x^{-2}$ the solution will be as \begin{equation} x(t) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{-2at + C}}. \end{equation}

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  • $\begingroup$ Eduardo, thanks for your answer. I still have some questions: 1) where does the equation $\dot{x}=ax$ come from? Shouldn't it be $\dot{x}=ax^3$? 2) after multiplying by 2x, I see you are substituting the $x^2$ on the left side with $\frac{1}{y}$, but why it is a $\frac{1}{y^2}$ instead? Thanks! $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 5:18
  • $\begingroup$ How did you find the appropriate change of variable, is this black magic ? Resolution by separability seems more obvious. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 6:32
  • $\begingroup$ Yiwei, for 1) yes, it is actually $\dot{x} = ax^3 $. I have corrected the errors in my answer to clarify where the $ \frac{1}{y^2} $ comes from. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 22:12
  • $\begingroup$ Yves, the differential equation $ \dot{x} = ax^3 $ is a Bernoulli differential equation. I studied and solved these types of differential equations in my first Basic Differential Equations course. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 22:21
  • $\begingroup$ Eduardo, thanks for the correction. It's very helpful! $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 18, 2021 at 22:37

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