Differential Equations
Practice Questions
Marks 1
1

The "order" of the following ordinary differential equation is $\qquad$ .

$$ \frac{d^3 y}{d x^3}+\left(\frac{d^2 y}{d x^2}\right)^6+\left(\frac{d y}{d x}\right)^4+y=0 $$

GATE CE 2025 Set 2
2
Which of the following equations belong/belongs to the class of second-order, linear, homogeneous partial differential equations:
GATE CE 2025 Set 1
3

A partial differential equation

$$\frac{\partial^2 T}{\partial x^2} + \frac{\partial^2 T}{\partial y^2} = 0$$

is defined for the two-dimensional field $T: T(x, y)$, inside a planar square domain of size 2 m × 2 m. Three boundary edges of the square domain are maintained at value $T = 50$, whereas the fourth boundary edge is maintained at $T = 100$.

The value of $T$ at the center of the domain is

GATE CE 2024 Set 2
4

Consider two Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs):

P: $ \dfrac{dy}{dx} = \dfrac{x^4 + 3x^2 y^2 + 2y^4}{x^3 y} $

Q: $ \dfrac{dy}{dx} = -\dfrac{y^2}{x^2} $

Which one of the following options is CORRECT?

GATE CE 2024 Set 2
5

The second-order differential equation in an unknown function $$u : u(x, y)$$ is defined as $$\frac{\partial^2 u}{\partial x^2}= 2$$

Assuming $$g : g(x)$$, $$f : f(y)$$, and $$h : h(y)$$, the general solution of the above differential equation is

GATE CE 2024 Set 1
6

For the following partial differential equation,

$x \frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial x^2} + y \frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial y^2} = \frac{x^2 + y^2}{2}$

which of the following option(s) is/are CORRECT?

GATE CE 2024 Set 1
7
The steady-state temperature distribution in a square plate ABCD is governed by the 2-dimensional Laplace equation. The side AB is kept at a temperature of 100°C and the other three sides are kept at a temperature of 0°C. Ignoring the effect of discontinuities in the boundary conditions at the corners, the steady-state temperature at the center of the plate is obtained as T0°C. Due to symmetry, the steady-state temperature at the center will be same (T0°C), when any one side of the square is kept at a temperature of 100°C and the remaining three sides are kept at a temperature of 0°C. Using the principle of superposition, the value of T0 is _________ (rounded off to two decimal places).
GATE CE 2023 Set 2
8
In the differential equation $\frac{dy}{dx}+\alpha\ x\ y =0, \alpha$ is a positive constant. If y = 1.0 at x = 0.0, and y = 0.8 at x = 1.0, the value of α is ________ (rounded off to three decimal places).
GATE CE 2023 Set 1
9

The function f(x, y) satisfies the Laplace equation

$$\Delta$$2f(x, y) = 0

on a circular domain of radius r = 1 with its center at point P with coordinates x = 0, y = 0. The value of this function on the circular boundary of this domain is equal to 3. The numerical value of f/(0, 0) is :

GATE CE 2022 Set 2
10

Consider the following expression:

z = sin(y + it) + cos(y $$-$$ it)

where z, y, and t are variables, and $$i = \sqrt { - 1} $$ is a complex number. The partial differential equation derived from the above expression is

GATE CE 2022 Set 1
11

For the equation

$${{{d^3}y} \over {d{x^3}}} + x{\left( {{{dy} \over {dx}}} \right)^{3/2}} + {x^2}y = 0$$

the correct description is

GATE CE 2022 Set 1
12
The solution of the equation $$\,{{dQ} \over {dt}} + Q = 1$$ with $$Q=0$$ at $$t=0$$ is
GATE CE 2017 Set 1
13
Consider the following second $$-$$order differential equation : $$\,y''\,\, - 4y' + 3y = 2t - 3{t^2}\,\,\,$$
The particular solution of the differential equation is
GATE CE 2017 Set 1
14
Consider the following partial differential equation: $$\,\,3{{{\partial ^2}\phi } \over {\partial {x^2}}} + B{{{\partial ^2}\phi } \over {\partial x\partial y}} + 3{{{\partial ^2}\phi } \over {\partial {y^2}}} + 4\phi = 0\,\,$$ For this equation to be classified as parabolic, the value of $${B^2}$$ must be ____________.
GATE CE 2017 Set 1
15
The type of partial differential equation $${{{\partial ^2}p} \over {\partial {x^2}}} + {{{\partial ^2}p} \over {\partial {y^2}}} + 3{{{\partial ^2}p} \over {\partial x\partial y}} + 2{{\partial p} \over {\partial x}} - {{\partial p} \over {\partial y}} = 0$$ is
GATE CE 2016 Set 1
16
The integrating factor for the differential equation $${{dP} \over {dt}} + {k_2}\,P = {k_1}{L_0}{e^{ - {k_1}t}}\,\,$$ is
GATE CE 2014 Set 2
17
The solution of the differential equation $${{dy} \over {dx}} + {y \over x} = x$$ with the condition that $$y=1$$ at $$x=1$$ is
GATE CE 2011
18
The order and degree of a differential equation $${{{d^3}y} \over {d{x^3}}} + 4\sqrt {{{\left( {{{dy} \over {dx}}} \right)}^3} + {y^2}} = 0$$ are respectively
GATE CE 2010
19
The partial differential equation that can be formed from $$z=ax+by+ab$$ has the form $$\,\,\left( {p = {{\partial z} \over {\partial x}},q = {{\partial z} \over {\partial y}}} \right)\,\,$$
GATE CE 2010
20
Solution of the differential equation $$3y{{dy} \over {dx}} + 2x = 0$$ represents a family of
GATE CE 2009
21
The degree of the differential equation $$\,{{{d^2}x} \over {d{t^2}}} + 2{x^3} = 0\,\,$$ is
GATE CE 2007
22
A body originally at $${60^ \circ }$$ cools down to $$40$$ in $$15$$ minutes when kept in air at a temperature of $${25^ \circ }$$c. What will be the temperature of the body at the and of $$30$$ minutes?
GATE CE 2007
23
The solution of the differential equation $$\,{x^2}{{dy} \over {dx}} + 2xy - x + 1 = 0\,\,\,$$ given that at $$x=1,$$ $$y=0$$ is
GATE CE 2006
24
The number of boundary conditions required to solve the differential equation $$\,\,{{{\partial ^2}\phi } \over {\partial {x^2}}} + {{{\partial ^2}\phi } \over {\partial {y^2}}} = 0\,\,$$ is
GATE CE 2001
25
If $$c$$ is a constant, then the solution of $${{dy} \over {dx}} = 1 + {y^2}$$ is
GATE CE 1999
26
For the differential equation $$f\left( {x,y} \right){{dy} \over {dx}} + g\left( {x,y} \right) = 0\,\,$$ to be exact is
GATE CE 1997
27
The differential equation $${y^{11}} + {\left( {{x^3}\,\sin x} \right)^5}{y^1} + y = \cos {x^3}\,\,\,\,$$ is
GATE CE 1995
28
The necessary & sufficient condition for the differential equation of the form $$\,\,M\left( {x,y} \right)dx + N\left( {x,y} \right)dy = 0\,\,$$ to be exact is
GATE CE 1994
Marks 2
1
Pick the CORRECT solution for the following differential equation $\frac{d y}{d x}=e^{x-y}$
GATE CE 2025 Set 2
2

Let $y$ be the solution of the initial value problem $y^{\prime}+0.8 y+0.16 y=0$ where $y(0)=3$ and $y^{\prime}(0)=4.5$. Then, $y(1)$ is equal to__________ (rounded off to 1 decimal place).

GATE CE 2025 Set 1
3

A 2 m × 2 m tank of 3 m height has inflow, outflow and stirring mechanisms. Initially, the tank was half-filled with fresh water. At $ t = 0 $, an inflow of a salt solution of concentration 5 g/ $ m^3 $ at the rate of 2 litre/s and an outflow of the well stirred mixture at the rate of 1 litre/s are initiated. This process can be modelled using the following differential equation:

$$ \frac{dm}{dt} + \frac{m}{6000 + t} = 0.01 $$

where $ m $ is the mass (grams) of the salt at time $ t $ (seconds). The mass of the salt (in grams) in the tank at 75% of its capacity is ______________ (rounded off to 2 decimal places).

GATE CE 2024 Set 1
4

The solution of the differential equation

$\rm \frac{d^3y}{dx^3}-5.5\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}+9.5\frac{dy}{dx}-5y=0$

is expressed as 𝑦 = 𝐶1𝑒2.5𝑥 + 𝐶2𝑒𝛼𝑥 + 𝐶3𝑒𝛽𝑥 , where 𝐶1, 𝐶2, 𝐶3, 𝛼, and 𝛽 are constants, with α and β being distinct and not equal to 2.5. Which of the following options is correct for the values of 𝛼 and 𝛽?

GATE CE 2023 Set 2
5

The differential equation,

$\rm \frac{du}{dt}+2tu^2=1,$

is solved by employing a backward difference scheme within the finite difference framework. The value of 𝑢 at the (𝑛 − 1) th time-step, for some 𝑛, is 1.75. The corresponding time (t) is 3.14 s. Each time step is 0.01 s long. Then, the value of (un - un -1) _________ is (round off to three decimal places). 

GATE CE 2023 Set 1
6

Consider the differential equation

$${{dy} \over {dx}} = 4(x + 2) - y$$

For the initial condition y = 3 at x = 1, the value of y at x = 1.4 obtained using Euler's method with a step-size of 0.2 is ________. (round off to one decimal place)

GATE CE 2022 Set 1
7
The solution of the partial differential equation $${{\partial u} \over {\partial t}} = \alpha {{{\partial ^2}u} \over {\partial {x^2}}}$$ is of the form
GATE CE 2016 Set 1
8
Consider the following differential equation
$$x\left( {y\,dx + x\,dy} \right)\cos \left( {{y \over x}} \right)$$
$$\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\, = y\left( {x\,dy - y\,dx} \right)\sin \left( {{y \over x}} \right)$$

Which of the following is the solution of the above equation ($$C$$ is an arbitrary constant)

GATE CE 2015 Set 1
9
Consider the following second order linear differential equation $${{{d^2}y} \over {d{x^2}}} = - 12{x^2} + 24x - 20$$
The boundary conditions are: at $$x=0, y=5$$ and at $$x=2, y=21$$
The value of $$y$$ at $$x=1$$ is
GATE CE 2015 Set 2
10
Water is following at a steady rate through a homogeneous and saturated horizontal soil strip of $$10$$m length. The strip is being subjected to a constant water head $$(H)$$ of $$5$$m at the beginning and $$1$$m at the end. If the governing equation of flow in the soil strip is $$\,\,{{{d^2}H} \over {d{x^2}}} = 0\,\,$$ (where $$x$$ is the distance along the soil strip), the value of $$H$$ (in m) at the middle of the strip is _______.
GATE CE 2014 Set 2
11
The solution of the ordinary differential equation $${{dy} \over {dx}} + 2y = 0$$ for the boundary condition, $$y=5$$ at $$x=1$$ is
GATE CE 2012
12
The solution to the ordinary differential equation $${{{d^2}y} \over {d{x^2}}} + {{dy} \over {dx}} - 6y = 0\,\,\,$$ is
GATE CE 2010
13
The solution for the differential equation $$\,{{d\,y} \over {d\,x}} = {x^2}\,y$$ with the condition that $$y=1$$ at $$x=0$$ is
GATE CE 2007
14
Transformation to linear form by substituting $$v = {y^{1 - n}}$$ of the equation $${{dy} \over {dt}} + p\left( t \right)y = q\left( t \right){y^n},\,\,n > 0$$ will be
GATE CE 2005
15
The solution $${{{d^2}y} \over {d{x^2}}} + 2{{dy} \over {dx}} + 17y = 0;$$ $$y\left( 0 \right) = 1,{\left( {{{d\,y} \over {d\,x}}} \right)_{x = {\raise0.5ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle \pi $} \kern-0.1em/\kern-0.15em \lower0.25ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle 4$}}}} = 0\,\,$$ in the range $$0 < x < {\pi \over 4}$$ is given by
GATE CE 2005
16
Biotransformation of an organic compound having concentration $$(x)$$ can be modeled using an ordinary differential equation $$\,{{d\,x} \over {dt}} + k\,{x^2} = 0,$$ where $$k$$ is the reaction rate constant. If $$x=a$$ at $$t=0$$ then solution of the equation is
GATE CE 2004
17
The solution for the following differential equation with boundary conditions $$y(0)=2$$ and $$\,\,{y^1}\left( 1 \right) = - 3$$ is where $${{{d^2}y} \over {d{x^2}}} = 3x - 2$$
GATE CE 2001
18
Solve $${{{d^4}y} \over {d{x^4}}} - y = 15\,\cos \,\,2x$$
GATE CE 1998
19
The differential equation $${{dy} \over {dx}} + py = Q,$$ is a linear equation of first order only if,
GATE CE 1997
20
Solve $${{{d^4}v} \over {d{x^4}}} + 4{\lambda ^4}v = 1 + x + {x^2}$$
GATE CE 1996
21
The solution of a differential equation $${y^{11}} + 3{y^1} + 2y = 0$$ is of the form
GATE CE 1995
22
The differential equation $${{{d^4}y} \over {d{x^4}}} + P{{{d^2}y} \over {d{x^2}}} + ky = 0\,\,$$ is
GATE CE 1994