What does G_0 mean when using desolve?

[pvp100288840]

Hi everyone,
I just started to learn calculus and I was using HP Prime to solve some differential equation with desolve. For example I entered following command:

Code:

 desolve(d(y,x))=(y^2-4) )

And I got following result:

Code:

[(-2*G_0*e^(4*x)-2)/(G_0*e^(4*x)-1)]

So what does G_0 mean? It doesn't look like 'y' or something....

[lrdheat]

G_# refers to a constant. If you specified boundary conditions, you would get the result for those specific conditions as opposed to a constant covering a general solution.

[Albert Chan]

Note that integration also generate constant of integration.

But, if we use integrated result, F(x), to evaluate F(b) - F(a), the constant cancelled.
Thus, HP Prime CAS (and many other CAS) did not return the constant.

XCAS> ∫(x,x)       → x^2/2

Although constant is not reported, keep in mind it is there ...