Existence of integrating factors for higher-order ordinary differential equations

• We investigate the concept of integrating factors for higher-order ordinary differential equations introduced recently by one of the authors (NHI). The integrating factors for equations of order higher than one are determined by overdetermined systems. Therefore one can expect that not all higher-order equations have integrating factors. We prove in this paper that in fact they have. Moreover, we demonstrate that every equation of order n has precisely n functionally independent integrating factors.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Matematik -- Matematisk analys (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Mathematics -- Mathematical Analysis (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Integrating factors

ordinary differential equations

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)