Question:

The degree and order of the differential equation of the family of all parabolas whose axis is the x-axis, are respectively:

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For the family of parabolas, differentiate the equation twice to find the degree and order of the corresponding differential equation.
Updated On: Apr 22, 2026
  • 2, 1
  • 3, 2
  • 2, 2
  • 3, 3
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

The general equation of a parabola whose axis is along the x-axis is given by: \[ y^2 = 4ax \] Where \( a \) is a constant. Differentiating both sides of this equation with respect to \( x \), we get: \[ 2y \frac{dy}{dx} = 4a \]

Step 2: Differentiating again to find the second-order equation.

Differentiating again: \[ 2 \frac{dy}{dx} \frac{dy}{dx} + 2y \frac{d^2y}{dx^2} = 0 \] Simplifying: \[ \frac{dy}{dx}^2 + y \frac{d^2y}{dx^2} = 0 \]

Step 3: Conclusion.

This is a second-order differential equation, and the highest power of the highest order derivative is 1, meaning the degree is 1. Therefore, the correct degree and order are 2 and 1, respectively.
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