Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / Paper 1 / 20

The original differential equation is defined only where $x\ne 0$ and $y\ne 0$. Put $w=y^3$, so the chain rule gives $w^{\prime }=3y^2{y}^{\prime }$. Multiplying the equation by $3y^2$ yields a first-order linear ordinary differential equation:An integrating factor on either half-line is $1/x$, up to an irrelevant nonzero constant. Equivalently, apply the quotient rule directly:Integrating gives $w/x=x^2+C$. Thus the real general solution ison any connected interval where $x\ne 0$ and $x^3+Cx\ne 0$. These restrictions preserve both the original denominator and differentiability of the real cube root. In particular $C=0$ includes $y=x$ on either half-line; this solution has not been lost through division by an expression involving $y/x-1$.

For verification, differentiating $y^3=x^3+Cx$ gives $3y^2{y}^{\prime }=3x^2+C$, while $(2x^3+y^3)/x=3x^2+C$. The two sides agree wherever the original equation is defined.

The seven requested parabolas are $y=c{x}^2$ for $c=-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3$; the case $c=0$ is the horizontal axis. Positive $c$ opens upward, negative $c$ downward, and larger $|c|$ gives a narrower parabola. All pass through the origin with a horizontal tangent line.

To find orthogonal trajectories, use the continuous family $y=c{x}^2$ containing these seven representative members. Its slope is $y^{\prime }=2cx=2y/x$ away from $x=0$. Two finite slopes of perpendicular tangents multiply to $-1$, so the orthogonal slope isThis separable differential equation gives $2ydy=-xdx$, henceThese ellipses are the regular real trajectories; $C=0$ is a single point, not a regular curve, and $C<0$ has no real points. One example is $x^2+2y^2=2$, with semiaxes $\sqrt{2}$ horizontally and $1$ vertically.

The implicit tangent relation $2xdx+4ydy=0$ also describes points with vertical tangents, where the slope quotient is unavailable. At intersections with the member $y=0$, the ellipse has a vertical tangent line and is perpendicular to that horizontal axis. The common origin of the parabolas is not on any regular trajectory with $C>0$. The sketch shows the requested seven members and the example ellipse.