Oxford Calculus: Integrating Factors Explained

University of Oxford Mathematician Dr Tom Crawford explains how to use integrating factors to solve first order linear differential equations. Practice the integrating factor technique for yourself with this free worksheet in Maple Learn: https://learn.maplesoft.com/doc/bautgt6uhs/trm-integrating-factors-worksheet We first look at the homogeneous case to motivate the formula for the integrating factor, which is then derived in full for a general first order ODE. The technique is then used to solve an example question, with and without initial conditions. Check your working using the Maple Calculator App – available for free on Google Play and the App Store. Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maplesoft.companion&hl=en Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/maple-companion/id1466659419 Other videos in the Oxford Calculus series can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMCRxGutHqflZoTY8JCm1GRzCdGXvZ3_S Finding critical points for functions of several variables: https://youtu.be/Leomuu82-u8 Classifying critical points using the method of the discriminant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M_ts8Q2LEM Partial differentiation explained: https://youtu.be/RVwcBGzQcT8 Second order linear differential equations: https://youtu.be/F54yhRB9qDI Find out more about the Maple Calculator App and Maple Learn on the Maplesoft YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq2MmZQ8-kqEVAnmL2GSMsQ Produced by Dr Tom Crawford at the University of Oxford. Tom is an Early-Career Teaching and Outreach Fellow at St Edmund Hall: https://www.seh.ox.ac.uk/people/tom-crawford For more maths content check out Tom's website https://tomrocksmaths.com/ You can also follow Tom on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @tomrocksmaths. https://www.facebook.com/tomrocksmaths/ https://twitter.com/tomrocksmaths https://www.instagram.com/tomrocksmaths/ Get your Tom Rocks Maths merchandise here: https://beautifulequations.net/collections/tom-rocks-maths