[Math] Find out the differential equation of the following families of curves.

calculuscoordinate systemsordinary differential equations

Find out the differential equation of the following two families of curves :

  1. Straight lines having slope and $x$-intercept equal in magnitude.

  2. Straight lines at a fixed distance $p$ from the origin.

My Approach :

  1. a straight line is defined by $y = mx + c$, $x$-intercept $= -c/m$
    but $-c/m = m$, so $c = -m^2$.
    $$y = mx – m^2\; , \; dy/dx = m\; , \; y' = m$$
  2. Straight lines at a fixed distance $p$ from the origin :
    $$x\cos A + y\sin A = p,$$
    $$y\sin A = p – x \cos A,$$ $$y = p\sin A – x\cot A,$$ $$y' = -\cot A.$$

Are my answers correct?

Best Answer

Here is an attempt to find a differential equation whose solutions are precisely the lines at distance $p$ from the origin.

We follow the question as far as $$y'=-\cot A$$ and then we try to eliminate $A$ in favor of $x,y,p$. We go back to $$x\cos A+y\sin A=p$$ Dividing through by $\sqrt{x^2+y^2}$, letting $\theta=\arctan(y/x)$, and using $$\cos(r-s)=\cos r\cos s+\sin r\sin s$$ we get $$\cos(A-\theta)={p\over\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}$$ Solving for $A$ we get $$A=\theta+\arccos{p\over\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}$$ so we have the differential equation $$y'=-\cot\left(\arctan(y/x)+{p\over\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}\right)$$ I managed to "simplify" this to $$y'={y\tan{p\over\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}-x\over y+x\tan{p\over\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}}$$

There must be a better way.

EDIT: Maybe it looks a little better as $$xy'+y(1+(y')^2)=p\sqrt{1+(y')^2}$$ or maybe not.