Analyzing the Setup
The differential equation provided is (x2−y2)dx+2xydy=0. At first glance, it appears complex, but it possesses a beautiful, symmetric structure.
The key to unlocking this problem lies in recognizing its homogeneity. Notice that in the term x2, the degree is two; in y2, the degree is two; and in 2xy, the combined degree of x and y is also two.
This uniform degree is a massive signal. It indicates that the equation scales perfectly, allowing us to use the substitution y=vx to simplify the expression.
The Transformation
We begin by rearranging the equation to isolate the derivative dxdy. By moving the dx term to the right and dividing, we obtain:
Now, we introduce our substitution y=vx. Differentiating this with respect to x using the product rule gives us:
Substituting these into our equation transforms the right side into:
Notice the mathematical elegance here: the x2 terms in the numerator and denominator cancel out completely. This leaves us with the simplified expression:
The Path to Integration
We are now left with the equation v+xdxdv=2vv2−1. Subtracting v from both sides and finding a common denominator leads us to:
The variables are now ready to be separated. We bring all v terms to the left and all x terms to the right, resulting in:
This integral is a classic form. Since the numerator is the derivative of the denominator, the left side integrates to ln(1+v2). The right side is simply −ln(x)+ln(C).
The Geometric Reveal
Combining the logarithms gives us ln(x(1+v2))=ln(C), which simplifies to x(1+v2)=C. Substituting back v=xy, we get:
We are given that the curve passes through the point (1,1). Substituting these values gives 12+12=C(1), which means C=2.
Our final equation is x2+y2=2x. Rearranging this into the standard form:
We see the unmistakable signature of a circle with center (1,0) and radius 1. You have successfully navigated the differential equation to reveal a perfect geometric truth.