Problem 2
Find the differential equation whose general solution is…
Find the differential equation whose general solution is given by $y=e^{cx}$, where $c$ is an arbitrary constant.
Explanation of Method
Since there is a single arbitrary constant, one differentiation should suffice to eliminate it. Differentiate the solution, then substitute back to remove $c$ algebraically.
Step 1: Differentiate
From $y=e^{cx}$, the chain rule gives
\[\frac{dy}{dx}=c\,e^{cx}=c\,y.\]
Step 2: Eliminate $c$
From $y=e^{cx}$, taking logarithms gives $\ln y = cx$, so $c=\dfrac{1}{x}\ln y$. Substituting into $y'=cy$,
\[\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{y\ln y}{x}.\]
Result
Final answer:
\[\boxed{\,x\,\dfrac{dy}{dx}=y\ln y\,}\]