• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

calculus in physical world qu (1 Viewer)

sikeveo

back after sem2
Joined
Feb 22, 2004
Messages
1,794
Location
North Shore
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
I haven't touchecd this in 1 yr, so can someone explain how i do this?

dy/dx = 2y and y =5 when x=0, express y as a function of x

I need the working, so i can understand it again :)
 

acmilan

I'll stab ya
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
3,989
Location
Jumanji
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
dy/dx = 2y

dy/y = 2dx

integrate both sides:

ln y = 2x + c

and go from there
 

acmilan

I'll stab ya
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
3,989
Location
Jumanji
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Split the variable and differential. Divide by y, multiply by dx. It's not really taught in 2 unit, but i think 3 unit students learn it.
 

MarsBarz

Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Messages
282
Location
Nsw
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
Uh that's a strange method there. I would have just done it like this:

dy/dx = 2y
dx/dy = 1/2y
x = 1/2(lny) + C
when x=0, y=5
0 = 1/2(ln5)+C
C = -1/2(ln5)
x = 1/2(lny)-1/2(ln5)
2x = lny-ln5
lny = 2x+ln5
y = e^(2x+ln5)

Although your method looks awfully neat.
 

sikeveo

back after sem2
Joined
Feb 22, 2004
Messages
1,794
Location
North Shore
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
MarsBarz said:
Uh that's a strange method there. I would have just done it like this:

dy/dx = 2y
dx/dy = 1/2y
x = 1/2(lny) + C
when x=0, y=5
0 = 1/2(ln5)+C
C = -1/2(ln5)
x = 1/2(lny)-1/2(ln5)
2x = lny-ln5
lny = 2x+ln5
y = e^(2x+ln5)

Although your method looks awfully neat.
Thanks, i understand your method better :)
 

MarsBarz

Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Messages
282
Location
Nsw
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
Actually I understand Acmilan's method now. I redid his method but put in all the steps to make it clearer.

dy/dx = 2y
dy = 2y.dx
dy/y = 2.dx
1/y.dy = 2.dx
Integrating both sides
lny + K= 2x + C
lny = 2x + C - K
(remember K and C are constants)
when x=0, y=5
ln5 = 0 + C - K
C - K = ln5
ln y = 2x + ln5
y = e^(2x+ln5)
y = e^(2x) . e^(ln5)
y = e^(2x) . 5
.:. y = 5e^(2x)
Yay.
 

MarsBarz

Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Messages
282
Location
Nsw
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
Yeah lol, I rekon the way I first did it was much simpler.
 

acmilan

I'll stab ya
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
3,989
Location
Jumanji
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
MarsBarz said:
Yeah lol, I rekon the way I first did it was much simpler.
Its exactly the same method :p

The only difference is when you got up to:

dx/dy = 1/(2y)

You integrated straight away, when deep down you (not you personally but I mean everyone in general) are skipping the step dx = 1/(2y)dy, which is something that almost everyone naturally does as its obvious.

Edit: also when you integrate you do: lny + K= 2x + C

This isnt necessary, the constant only has to appear on one side, ie write it as ln y = 2x + C. Reason:

If lny + K = 2x + C, then lny = 2x + (C - K), and C - K is a constant, which we'll call D. Thus lny = 2x + D, which is what you couldve started with the begin with.

Technically, when you integrated dx/dy = 1/(2y), if you were to follow the same thing as above, you'd get x + K = 1/2 ln(y) + C, which again, is not necessary.
 
Last edited:

MarsBarz

Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Messages
282
Location
Nsw
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
Ah yes. I realised that since it's just a constant we could just have it on one side. I guess it saves a bit of time, I was just trying to make it clear :p.
 

sikeveo

back after sem2
Joined
Feb 22, 2004
Messages
1,794
Location
North Shore
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
another quick qu

if y = Ae^(-kt) and y =1000 when t =0 and y = 368 when t=2, find the values of A and k.

I have A, but not K. Some help would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:

acmilan

I'll stab ya
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
3,989
Location
Jumanji
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
y = Aekt

ekt = y/A
kt = ln(y/A)
k = ln(y/A)/t


you know what y (368), A and t (2) are, so sub them in to get k.
 

Trev

stix
Joined
Jun 28, 2004
Messages
2,037
Location
Pine Palace, St. Lucia, Brisbane.
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
y=Ae<sup>-kt</sup>
[t=0; y=1000]
&there4;368=A
y=1000e<sup>-kt</sup>
[t=2; y=368]
368=1000e<sup>-2k</sup>
e<sup>-2k</sup>=46/125
-2k=ln(46/125)
k =0.4998blah which is approx .5
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top