Differential Equations

𝑑2 𝑥
1. The degree of the differential equations + 2𝑥3 = 0 is
𝑑𝑡2
(a) 0 (b) 1
(c) 2 (d) 3 [CE-2007, 1 mark]

𝑑3 𝑦 𝑑𝑦 3
2. The order and degree of the differential equation 3 +4 𝑑𝑥
+ 𝑦2 = 0 are respectively
𝑑𝑥
(a) 3 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 3 (d) 3 and 1 [CE-2010, 1 mark]

𝑑3 𝑓 𝑓 𝑑2 𝑓
3. The Blasius equation, 3 +2 = 0, is a
𝑑𝜂 𝑑𝜂2
(a) second order non-linear ordinary differential equation
(b) third order non-linear ordinary differential equation
(c) third order linear ordinary differential equation
(d) mixed order non-linear ordinary differential equation [ME-2010, 1 mark]

∂u ∂u 𝜕2 𝑢
4. The partial differential equation + 𝑢 ∂x = is a
∂t 𝜕𝑥2
(a) linear equation of order 2 (b) non-linear equation of order 1
(c) linear equation of order 1 (d) non-linear equation of order 2
[ME-2013, 1 mark]

5. Consider the following differential equation:

= 5𝑦; initial condition: y = 2 at t = 0
The value of y at t = 3 is
(a) −5𝑒 (b) 2𝑒
(c) 𝑒 (d) -15𝑒 [ME-2015, 2 mark]

6. The following differential equation 3 +4 +𝑦 +2=𝑥

(a) degree = 2, order = 1 (b) degree = 1, order = 2
(c) degree = 4, order = 3 (d) degree = 2, order = 3 [ME-2005, 1 mark]

7. The order of the differential equation + +𝑦 =𝑒 is

(a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 3 (d) 4 [EC-2009, 1 mark]
8. Biotransformation of an organic compound having concentration (x) can be modeled using an ordinary D.E
+ 𝑘𝑥 = 0 , where k is the reaction rate constant. If x = a at t = 0, the solution of the equation is

(a) 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑒 (b) = + 𝑘𝑡
(c) 𝑥 = 𝑎(1 − 𝑒 ) (d) 𝑥 = 𝑎 + 𝑘𝑡 [CE-2004, 2 mark]

9. A spherical naphthalene ball exposed to the atmosphere loses volume at a rate proportional to its
instantaneous surface area due to evaporation. If the initial diameter of the ball is 2 cm and the diameter
reduces to 1 cm after 3 months, the ball completely evaporates in
(a) 6 months (b) 9 months
(c) 12 months (d) infinite time [CE-2006, 1 mark]

10. The solution of the differential equation = 𝑥 𝑦 with the condition that y = 1 at x = 0 is
(a) 𝑦=𝑒 (b) ln(𝑦) = +4

(c) ln(𝑦) = (d) 𝑦=𝑒 [CE-2007, 1 mark]

11. Solution of = at x = 1 and y = √3

2
(a) x – y = -2 (b) x + y2 = 4
(c) x2 – y2 = -2 (d) x2 + y2 = 4 [CE-2008, 2 mark]

12. Solution of the differential equation 3𝑦 + 2𝑥 = 0 represents a family of

(a) ellipses (b) circles
(d) parabolas (d) hyperbolas [CE-2009, 2 mark]

13. The solution of the ordinary D.E + 2𝑦 = 0 for the boundary condition, y = 5 at x = 1 is
(a) 𝑦=𝑒 (b) 𝑦 = 2𝑒
(c) 𝑦 = 10.95 𝑒 (d) 𝑦 = 36.95 𝑒 [CE-2012, 2 mark]

14. Consider the following difference equation

𝑥(𝑦𝑑𝑥 + 𝑥𝑑𝑦) cos = 𝑦(𝑥𝑑𝑦 − 𝑦𝑑𝑥) sin
Which of the following is the solution of the above equation
(a) cos = 𝑐 (b) sin = 𝑐
(c) 𝑥𝑦 cos = 𝑐 (d) 𝑥𝑦 sin = 𝑐 [CE-2015, 2 mark]

15. Consider the following 2nd order L.D.E

𝑑2 𝑦
= −12𝑥 + 24𝑥 − 20
𝑑𝑥2
The boundary conditions are: at x = 0, y = 5 and x = 2, y = 21
The value of y at x = 1 is _________ [CE-2015, 2 mark]
16. The solution of the differential equation + 𝑦 = 0 is
(a) 𝑦= (b) 𝑦= +𝑐
(c) 𝑐𝑒 (d) unsolvable as equation is non-linear
[ME-2003, 2 mark]

17. The solution of = 𝑦 with initial value y (0) = 1 bounded in the interval
(a) -∞ ≤ x ≤ ∞ (b) -1 ≤ x ≤ 1
(c) x < 1, x > 1 (d) -2 ≤ x ≤ 2 [ME-2007, 2 mark]

18. Consider the D.E = (1 + 𝑦 )𝑥. The general solution with constant c is
(a) y = tan + tan c (b) y = tan2 +𝑐
(c) y = tan2 +𝑐 (d) y = tan +𝑐 [ME-2011, 2 mark]

19. The solution of the first order D.E xꞌ(t) = -3x(t), x(0) = x o is
(a) x(t) = xo 𝑒 (b) x(t) = xo 𝑒
/
(c) x(t) = xo 𝑒 (d) x(t) = xo 𝑒 [ME-2005, 1 mark]

20. With K as a constant the possible solution for the first order D.E =𝑒 is
(a) − 𝑒 +𝐾 (b) − 𝑒 +𝐾
(c) −3𝑒 +𝐾 (d) −3𝑒 +𝐾 [EE-2011, 1 mark]

21. A differential equation − 0.2𝑖 = 0 is applicable over -10 < t < 10. If i(4) = 10, then i(-5) is __________
[EE-2015, 2 mark]

()
22. Which of the following is a solution to the D.E + 3𝑥(𝑡) = 0 ?
(a) x(t) = 3e (b) x(t) = 2e
(c) x(t) = 𝑡 (d) x(t) = 3t [EC-2008, 1 mark]

23. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct the answer using the codes given below
List-I List-II
A. = 1. Circles
B. =− 2. Straight lines
C. = 3. Hyperbolas
D. =−
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 2 3 3 1
(b) 1 3 2 1
(c) 2 1 3 3
(d) 3 2 1 2 [EC-2009, 2 mark]
24. The solution of the D.E = 𝑘𝑦, y(0) = c is
(a) 𝑥 = 𝑐𝑒 (b) 𝑥 = 𝑘𝑒
(c) 𝑦 = 𝑐𝑒 (d) 𝑦 = 𝑐𝑒 [EC-2011, 1 mark]

25. The general solution of the D.E = is

(a) tan y – cot x = c (b) tan x – cot y = c
(c) tan y + cot x = c (d) tan x + cot y = c [EC-2015, 1 mark]

26. The type of partial differential equation = is

(a) Parabolic (b) Elliptic
(c) Hyperbolic (c) Non-linear [IN-2013, 1 mark]

27. Transformation to linear form by substituting 𝑣 = 𝑦 of the equation

+ 𝑝(𝑡)𝑦 = 𝑞(𝑡)𝑦 ; n > 0 will be
(a) + (1 − 𝑛)𝑝𝑣 = (1 − 𝑛)𝑞 (b) + (1 − 𝑛)𝑝𝑣 = (1 + 𝑛)𝑞
(c) + (1 + 𝑛)𝑝𝑣 = (1 − 𝑛)𝑞 (d) + (1 + 𝑛)𝑝𝑣 = (1 + 𝑛)𝑞
[CE-2005, 2 mark]

28. The solution of the D.E + = 𝑥 , with the condition y = 1 at x = 1, is

(a) 𝑦= + (b) 𝑦= +
(c) 𝑦= + (d) 𝑦= + [CE-2011, 2 mark]

29. The solution of the D.E + 2𝑥𝑦 = 𝑒 with y(0) = 1 is

(a) (1 + 𝑥)𝑒 (b) (1 + 𝑥)𝑒
(c) (1 − 𝑥)𝑒 (d) (1 − 𝑥)𝑒 [ME-2006, 1 mark]

30. The solution of 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 𝑥 with the condition y(1) = 6/5 is

(a) 𝑦= + (b) 𝑦= +
(c) 𝑦= +1 (d) 𝑦= +1 [ME-2009, 2 mark]

31. With initial condition x(1) = 0.5, the solution of the differential equation, 𝑡 + 𝑥 = 𝑡 is
(a) 𝑥=𝑡− (b) 𝑥=𝑡 −
(c) 𝑥= (d) 𝑥= [EC, EE, IN-2012, 1 mark]

32. The matrix form of the linear system = 3𝑥 − 5𝑦 and = 4𝑥 + 8𝑦 is

𝑥 3 −5 𝑥 𝑥 3 8 𝑥
(a) 𝑦 = 4 8 𝑦 (b) 𝑦 = 4 −5 𝑦

𝑥 4 −5 𝑥 𝑥 4 8 𝑥
(c) 𝑦 = 3 (d) 𝑦 = 3 [ME-2014, 1 mark]
8 𝑦 −5 𝑦
33. The general solution of the differential equation = 𝑐𝑜𝑥 (𝑥 + 𝑦) , with c as a constant, is
( )
(a) y + sin (x + y) = x + c (b) tan = y +c
( ) ( )
(c) cos = x +c (d) tan = x +c [ME-2014, 2 mark]

34. The solution of the initial value problem = −2𝑥𝑦; y(0) = 2 is

(a) 1+𝑒 (b) 2𝑒
(c) 1+𝑒 (d) 2𝑒 [ME-2014, 1 mark]

35. Which one of the following is a linear non-homogeneous D.E, where x and y are the independent and
dependent variable respectively?
(a) + 𝑥𝑦 = 𝑒 (b) + 𝑥𝑦 = 0
(c) + 𝑥𝑦 = 𝑒 (d) +𝑒 =0 [EC-2014, 1 mark]

36. The solution for the differential equation = −9𝑥 with the inditial conditions x(0) = 1 and = 1 is
(a) 𝑡 +𝑡+1 (b) 𝑠𝑖𝑛3𝑡 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠3𝑡 +
(c) 𝑠𝑖𝑛3𝑡 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠3𝑡 (d) 𝑐𝑜𝑠3𝑡 + 𝑡 [EC-2014, 1 mark]

37. A body is originally at 60℃ cools down to 40℃ in 15 minutes when kept in air at a temperature of
25℃. What will be the temperature of the body at the end of 30 minutes?
(a) 35.2℃ (b) 31.5℃
(c) 28.7℃ (d) 15℃ [CE-2007, 2 mark]

38. The solution of +2 + 17𝑦 = 0; y(0) = 1, = 0 in the range 0 < x < is given by
(a) 𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑠4𝑥 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛4𝑥 (b) 𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑠4𝑥 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛4𝑥
(c) 𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑠4𝑥 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛4𝑥 (d) 𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑠4𝑥 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛4𝑥 [CE-2005, 2 mark]

39. The general solution of + 𝑦 = 0 is

(a) y = P cos x + Q sin x (b) y = P cos x
(c) y = P sin x (d) y = P sin2 x [CE-2008, 1 mark]

40. The solution to the ordinary differential equation + − 6𝑦 = 0 is

(a) 𝑦= 𝑐 𝑒 +𝑐 𝑒 (b) 𝑦= 𝑐 𝑒 +𝑐 𝑒
(c) 𝑦= 𝑐 𝑒 +𝑐 𝑒 (d) 𝑦= 𝑐 𝑒 +𝑐 𝑒 [CE-2010, 2 mark]

Linked Answer Questions

The complete solution of the ordinary D.E +𝑝 𝑞𝑦 = 0 is 𝑦 = 𝑐 𝑒 +𝑐 𝑒
41. Then p and q are
(a) p = 3, q = 3 (b) p = 3, q = 4
(c) p = 4, q = 3 (d) p = 4, q = 4 [ME-2005, 2 mark]
42. Which of the following is a solution of D.E +𝑝 + (𝑞 + 1) = 0 ?
(a) 𝑒 (b) 𝑥𝑒
(c) 𝑥𝑒 (d) 𝑥 𝑒 [ME-2005, 2 mark]

43. Given that 𝑥̈ + 3𝑥 = 0, and x(0) = 0, 𝑥̇ (0) = 0, what is x(1) ?

(a) -0.99 (b) -0.16
(c) 0.16 (d) 0.99 [ME-2008, 1 mark]

44. It is given that yꞌꞌ + 2yꞌ + y = 0, y(0) = 0, y(1) = 0. What is y(0.5) ?

(a) 0 (b) 0.37
(c) 0.62 (d) 1.13 [ME-2008, 2 mark]

45. For the D.E +6 + 8𝑥 = 0 with initial conditions x(0) = 1 and = 0 the solution is
(a) 𝑥(𝑡) = 2𝑒 −𝑒 (b) 𝑥(𝑡) = 2𝑒 −𝑒
(c) 𝑥(𝑡) = −𝑒 + 2𝑒 (d) 𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑒 + 2𝑒 [EE-2010, 2 mark]

46. The solution to the D.E −𝑘 = 0 where k is constant, subject to the boundary conditions
u(0) = 0 and u(L) = U is
(a) 𝑢=𝑈 (b) 𝑢=𝑈

(c) 𝑢=𝑈 (c) 𝑢=𝑈 [ME-2013, 2 mark]

47. The maximum value of the solution y(t) of the D.E y(t) +ÿ (t) = 0 with initial conditions ẏ (0) = 1 and
y(0) = 1, for t ≥ 0 is
(a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 𝜋 (d) √2 [IN-2013, 2 mark]

48. A solution of the ordinary D.E +5 + 6𝑦 = 0 is such that y(0) = 2 and y(1) = − . The value of
(0) is _________ [EE-2015, 2 mark]

49. A solution of the following D.E is given by −5 + 6𝑦 = 0

(a) 𝑦=𝑒 +𝑒 (b) 𝑦=𝑒 +𝑒
(c) 𝑦=𝑒 +𝑒 (d) 𝑦=𝑒 +𝑒 [EC-2005, 1 mark]

( ) ( )
50. A function n(x) satisfies the D.E − = 0 where L is a constant. The boundary conditions are :
n(0) =K and n(∞) = 0. The solution to this equation is
(a) n(x) = K exp(x/L) (b) n(x) = K exp(-x/√𝐿 )
(c) n(x) = K2 exp(-x/L) (d) n(x) = K exp(-x/L) [EC-2010, 1 mark]
51. A system described by a linear, constant coefficient, ordinary, first order D.E has an exact solution given
y(t) for t > 0 when the forcing function is x(t) and the initial condition is y(0). If one wishes to modify the
system so that the solution becomes -2y(t) for t > 0, we need to change the initial condition to
(a) -y(0) and the forcing function to 2x(t)
(b) 2y(0) and the forcing function to -x(t)
(c) j√2y(0) and the forcing function to j√2 x(t)
(d) -2y(0) and the forcing function to -2x(t) [EC-2013, 2 mark]

52. A solution of the ordinary D.E +2 + 𝑦 = 0 with y(0) = yꞌ(0) = 1 is

(a) (2 − 𝑡)𝑒 (b) (1 + 2𝑡)𝑒
(c) (2 + 𝑡)𝑒 (d) (1 − 2𝑡)𝑒 [EC-2015, 2 mark]

( ) ( )
53. Consider the D.E +3 + 2𝑥(𝑡) = 0. Given x(0) = 20 and x(1) = 10/e , The value of x(2) is _____
[EC-2015, 2 mark]

54. A function y(t), such that y(0) = 1 and y(1) = 3𝑒 is a solution of the D.E +2 + 𝑦 = 0. Then y(2) is
(a) 5𝑒 (b) 5𝑒
(c) 7𝑒 (d) 7𝑒 [EE-2016, 1 mark]

55. The solution of the D.E, for t > 0, yꞌꞌ(t) + 2yꞌ(t) + y(t) = 0 with initial conditions y(0) = 0 and yꞌ(0) = 1, is
(Here u(t) denotes the unit step functions)
(a) 𝑡𝑒 𝑢(𝑡) (b) (𝑒 − 𝑡𝑒 )𝑢(𝑡)
(c) (−𝑒 + 𝑡𝑒 )𝑢(𝑡) (d) 𝑒 𝑢(𝑡) [EE-2016, 1 mark]

56. Let y(x) be the solution of the ordinary D.E −4 + 4𝑦 = 0 with initial conditions y(0) = 0 and
= 1. Then the value of y(1) is ________ [EE-2016, 2 mark]

57. For +4 + 3𝑦 = 3𝑒 , the particular integral is

(a) 𝑒 (b) 𝑒
(c) 3𝑒 (d) 𝐶𝑒 +𝐶 𝑒 [ME-2006, 2 mark]

( )
58. Consider two solutions x(t) = 𝑥 (𝑡) and x(t) = 𝑥 (𝑡) of the D.E + 𝑥(𝑡) = 0, t > 0, such that 𝑥 = 0,
( )
𝑥 (𝑡) 𝑥 (𝑡)
= 1. The Wronskian W(t) = ( ) ( ) at t = is

(a) 1 (b) -1
(c) 0 (d) [ME-2014, 2 mark]

59. Find the solution of = 𝑦 which passes through the origin and the point ln 2,
(a) 𝑦 = 𝑒 −𝑒 (b) 𝑦 = (𝑒 + 𝑒 )
(c) 𝑦 = (𝑒 − 𝑒 ) (d) 𝑦 = 𝑒 +𝑒 [ME-2015, 2 mark]
60. If the characteristic equation of the D.E +2∝ + 𝑦 = 0 has two equal roots, then the value of ∝ are
(a) ±1 (b) 0, 0
(c) ±j (d) ±1/2 [EC-2014, 1 mark]

61. If a and b are constants, the most general solution of the differential equation +2 + 𝑥 = 0 is
(a) 𝑎𝑒 (b) 𝑎𝑒 + 𝑏𝑡𝑒
(c) 𝑎𝑒 + 𝑏𝑡𝑒 (d) 𝑎𝑒 [EC-2014, 1 mark]

62. The particular solution of the initial value problem given below is
+ 12 + 36𝑦 = 0 with y(0) = 3 and = −36
(a) (3 − 18𝑥)𝑒 (b) (3 + 25𝑥)𝑒
(c) (3 + 20𝑥)𝑒 (d) (3 − 12𝑥)𝑒 [EC-2016, 2 mark]

63. If y = f(x) satisfies the boundary problem yꞌꞌ + 9y = 0, y(0) = 0, y = √2 , then y is _______
[ME-2016, 2 mark]

64. The respective expressions for complimentary function and particular integral part of the solution of the
differential equation +3 = 108𝑥 are
(a) [𝑐 + 𝑐 𝑥 + 𝑐 𝑠𝑖𝑛√3𝑥 + 𝑐 𝑐𝑜𝑠√3𝑥 ] 𝑎𝑛𝑑 [3𝑥 − 12𝑥 + 𝑐]
(b) 𝑐 + 𝑐 𝑠𝑖𝑛√3𝑥 + 𝑐 𝑐𝑜𝑠√3𝑥 ] 𝑎𝑛𝑑 [5𝑥 − 12𝑥 + 𝑐]
(c) 𝑐 + 𝑐 𝑠𝑖𝑛√3𝑥 + 𝑐 𝑐𝑜𝑠√3𝑥 ] 𝑎𝑛𝑑 [3𝑥 − 12𝑥 + 𝑐]
(d) 𝑐 + 𝑐 𝑥 + 𝑐 𝑠𝑖𝑛√3𝑥 + 𝑐 𝑐𝑜𝑠√3𝑥 ] 𝑎𝑛𝑑 [5𝑥 − 12𝑥 + 𝑐] [CE-2016, 2 mark]

65. Consider the differential equation 𝑥 +𝑥 − 𝑦 = 0. Which of the following is a solution to this
differential equation for x > 0?
(a) 𝑒 (b) 𝑥
(c) (d) ln 𝑥 [EE-2014, 1 mark]