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I would like to find all the possible solutions of the following differential equation, with two variables: $$(\frac{d}{dt}x)y-(\frac{d}{dt}y)x=0.$$

I have the feeling that I should expect infinitely many solutions, however I don't really know how to approach the problem of finding their general expression. I'm sure about the trivial one $x=0,y=0$ and about the following \begin{align*} x&=(\frac{d}{dt}x),\\ y&=(\frac{d}{dt}y) \end{align*}

Did I miss "some" of them?

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    Also, a note that may simplify the other answers: on $x \neq 0$, we can handle both sides of $0$ simultaneously: $$\int \frac{\mathrm{d}x}{x} = \ln |x| + c(x) $$ where $$c(x) = \begin{cases} c_+ & x > 0 \\ c_- & x < 0 \end{cases} $$ where $c_-$ and $c_+$ can be any two constants.2017-01-11

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Here is an interesting solution that everybody has missed. Assuming $x=f(t)$ and $y=g(t)$, we can have

$$ f(t) = \begin{cases} 0 & t \leq 0 \\ t^2 (1-t)^2 & 0 \leq t \leq 1 \\ 0 & 1 \leq t \end{cases} $$

$$ g(t) = \begin{cases} 0 & t \leq 1 \\ (1-t)^2 (2-t)^2 & 1 \leq t \leq 2 \\ 0 & 2 \leq t \end{cases} $$

Here's another fun one that keeps $x$ and $y$ proportional, but changes the proportion:

$$ f(t) = t^2 $$ $$ g(t) = \begin{cases} t^2 & t \leq 0 \\2 t^2 & t \geq 0\end{cases} $$

Here's a pretty horrible variation that shows we can't expect the set of transitions to be pleasant, based on the "topologist's sine curve": define

$$ h(t) = 1 - \cos\left( \frac{2 \pi}{t} \right) $$ Then $h(t)$ has the proprety that $h(t) = h'(t) = 0$ whenever $1/t$ is an integer. Using this,we can construct everywhere differentiable functions

$$ f(t) = \begin{cases} 0 & t \leq 0 \\ \left\lfloor \frac{1}{t} \right\rfloor^{-4} h(t) & t > 0 \end{cases} $$ $$ g(t) = \begin{cases} 0 & t \leq 0 \\ \left\lfloor \frac{1}{t} \right\rfloor^{-3} h(t) & t > 0 \end{cases} $$ where $\lfloor x \rfloor$ is the floor function. Note that the ratio $y/x$ increasing without bound as $t \to 0^+$! You could do even worse things!

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    Oh... I hate these solutions... they honestly drive me nuts.2017-01-12
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    @SimpleArt: I definitely know the feeling! On the other hand, it's good to be reminded from time to time why one should have a healthy respect for singularities!2017-01-13
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On an interval where $y\ne0$, you have $$ 0=x'y-xy'=\frac{x'y-xy'}{y^2}=\left(\frac xy\right)'. $$ So $x/y=c$, a constant, and $x=cy$. Now you are free to choose $y$ freely (any differentiable function), and take $x$ to be a scalar multiple.

Note that roles are reversible, so the same game can be played on intervals where $x\ne0$. And, on intervals where both are zero, you already know what they are.

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    You missed one case. If $y$ is infinite...2017-01-12
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You have your equation:

$$\frac{dx}{dt} y- \frac{dy}{dt} x=0 \tag{1}$$

You can rearrange this to give:

$$\frac{dx}{dt} y=\frac{dy}{dt} x$$

We rearrange the $y$ and $x$ terms towards the side with their associated derivatives, so that we can integrate both sides.

$$\frac{1}{x} \frac{dx}{dt}=\frac{1}{y}\frac{dy}{dt}$$

You can now cancel out $dt$ and see that you get an equation only in terms of $y$ and $x$. Therefore, you can now find a function for $y(x)$.

$$\int\frac{1}{y}~dy=\int\frac{1}{x}~dx \tag{2}$$

If we integrate both sides for $x>0$ and $y>0$ we get:

$$\ln{y}=\ln{x}+C$$

We can now exponentiate both sides:

$$e^{\ln{y}}=e^{\ln{x}+C}$$

$$y=x\cdot e^C$$

Since $e^C$ is arbitrary, we can define a new constant $k=e^C$.

Thus, our solution is:

$$\boxed{y=kx}$$

Now, do the same integration from $(2)$ for other cases.

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    Elegantly done. +12017-01-12
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We can rewrite this equation in the form $$ \frac{1}{x} \frac{dx}{dt} = \frac{1}{y} \frac{dy}{dt} $$ If we integrate both sides with respect to $t$ by applying the chain rule (i.e. making $u$-substitutions), we find $$ \ln(x(t)) = \ln(y(t)) + C_0 $$ where $C_0$ is an arbitrary constant. Exponentiating both sides, we have $$ x(t) = C y(t) $$ where $C$ is a new constant.

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    This is indeed the sketch of the core of the calculation, but is missing all of the details of how to use it to get the complete solution to the given problem.2017-01-11
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It is separable problem. A mnemonic solution is to multiply both sides by $dt$:

$$ y\;dx = x\;dy $$

And then re-arrange:

$$ \frac{dx}{x} = \frac{dy}{y} $$

and integrate:

$$ \ln{x} = \ln{y}+C=\ln{Ay}\quad A>0 $$

and from there: $x = Ay$ (I am omitting some details, such as the case of $x<0$, but these can be trivially reconstructed). Also, there is a special case of $x=0,y=0$.

PS. A stricter solution requires understanding that expression $y\;dx-x\;dy$ defines differential form and the fact that $y\;dx-x\;dy=0$ means that the solution vector field is perpendicular to $(y,-x)$

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    This is not, strictly speaking, the usual definition of a "separable problem".2017-01-11
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    @Omnomnomnom fair enough, 'reduces to separable problem' would be more precise.2017-01-12
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$$ \frac{y}{x} = \frac{dy}{dx} $$ Variable separable ; After transposing it integrates to :

$$ \ln{y} = \ln{x}+ \ln{C}, $$

$$ y = C\,x, $$ which are all straight lines through the origin.