# Thread: But what *is* this "solution"?

1. ## But what *is* this "solution" with repect to to the question?

I'm watching a KhanAcademy video. The question is to solve the exact diff. eq.
$y \cos x + 2xe^y + (\sin x +x^2e^y-1)y^\prime=0$

All of the steps are (obviously) fine and he comes up with
$\psi(x,y)=y \sin x + x^2 e^y - y + C$

which he then uses to say the solution is
$y \sin x + x^2 e^y - y = C$

I understand those steps, too (well, I think I do). But what is that solution? Is that y? The solution to a diff. eq. should be a function, y, whic, when you take its derivatives, satisfies the original equation.

So what was $\psi$? Is it just a $y_{general}(x,y)$ which solved the original? Can I say that [tex]\psi(x,y)=y_g(x,y)[\tex]? Note that if I add the partial of $\psi$ wrt x to the partial wrt y times y', I get the original question back.

I'm not really sure how to ask my question. Does it make sense? Think of this question like a beginning algebra student asking what it means that $x=5$ is the solution to $2x-10=0$. You answer that question by telling him to plug 5 back into the original equation.)

2. ## Re: But what *is* this "solution"?

This is $y(x)$ expressed in an implicit form because a closed form solution doesn't exist. For a given $C$ and for all $x$ in the domain of $y(x)$ you can solve that equation, somehow, to obtain the value of $y$ corresponding to that $x$ i.e. $y(x)$

Look at this

It makes it a bit more clear what $\Psi(x,y)$ is all about.