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MathsMediumClass 12

Applications — Growth/decay, orthogonal trajectories

Differential Equations

12

JEE Qs

8%

Hard

75

min

Master the precise steps for both growth/decay (setting up DE, initial conditions) and orthogonal trajectories (forming DE of given family, replacement, solving new DE) to avoid common pitfalls.

🧮 Key Formulas

dN/dt = kN (Differential equation for growth or decay)
N(t) = N_0 * e^(kt) (Solution to growth/decay DE, where N_0 is initial quantity and k is rate constant)
For orthogonal trajectories, if dy/dx = f(x,y) is the differential equation of the given family of curves, then the differential equation of the orthogonal family is dy/dx = -1/f(x,y) or dx/dy = -f(x,y).
In polar coordinates, if dr/dθ is the differential coefficient for the given family, then for the orthogonal trajectories, replace dr/dθ with -r²(dθ/dr) or -r²/(dr/dθ).

✅ Key Points for JEE

  • 1For growth/decay problems, correctly set up the differential equation dN/dt = kN and determine the sign of 'k' based on whether it's growth (k>0) or decay (k<0). Pay close attention to initial conditions to find the constant of integration.
  • 2The first step in finding orthogonal trajectories is to form the differential equation of the *given* family of curves by differentiating and eliminating the arbitrary constant(s).
  • 3To obtain the differential equation of the orthogonal family, replace dy/dx with -dx/dy (or -1/(dy/dx)) in the DE of the given family. Then, solve this new differential equation.
  • 4For certain families of curves (e.g., circles centered at origin, spirals), converting to polar coordinates (x=r cosθ, y=r sinθ) can significantly simplify the process of finding the orthogonal trajectories. Remember to convert the final solution back to Cartesian if required.
  • 5The final step involves solving the new differential equation, which often reduces to a variable separable or linear differential equation. Accuracy in integration is crucial.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

  • Incorrectly setting up the differential equation for growth/decay, especially the sign of 'k' or misinterpreting initial conditions.
  • Algebraic errors while eliminating the arbitrary constant(s) to form the differential equation of the given family of curves.
  • Incorrectly replacing dy/dx with -dx/dy (e.g., using -dy/dx instead of its reciprocal negative) for orthogonal trajectories.
  • Errors in solving the resulting differential equation for the orthogonal family, particularly during integration or applying limits/initial conditions.

NCERT Chapters

  • Class 12 Mathematics Ch 9: Differential Equations