Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / ia / Paper 2 / 2B / Solution

The chain rule gives $dF(x,y(x))/dx=F_x+F_y{y}^{\prime }$. Equality with $P+Q{y}^{\prime }$ for every $y(x)$ therefore requires $F_x=P$ and $F_y=Q$, which implies $P_y=Q_x$. Conversely, on the plane this compatibility condition makes $Pdx+Qdy$ an exact differential, so a potential $F$ exists.

Here $P=4x^3+3y$, $Q=2y+3x$, and $P_y=Q_x=3$. Integrating gives $F=x^4+3xy+y^2$, hence