A Forgotten Differential Equation Studied by Jacopo Riccati Revisited in Terms of Lie Symmetries

Abstract

In this paper we present a two parameter family of differential equations treated by Jacopo Riccati, which does not appear in any modern repertoires and we extend the original solution method to a four parameter family of equations, translating the Riccati approach in terms of Lie symmetries. To get the complete solution, hypergeometric functions come into play, which, of course, were unknown in Riccati’s time. Re-discovering the method introduced by Riccati, called by himself dimidiata separazione (splitted separation), we arrive at the closed form integration of a differential equation, more general to the one treated in Riccati’s contribution, and which also does not appear in the known repertoires.