Final answer:
The solutions to the given equation y' = t⁻¹ - y² approach zero as t increases, and their behavior depends on the magnitude of y at t = 0.
Step-by-step explanation:
The given equation is y' = t⁻¹ - y². To understand how the solutions behave as t increases and how their behavior depends on the initial value y when t = 0, we can analyze the equation. In this case, the equation represents a first-order ordinary differential equation.
By examining the equation, we can see that as t approaches infinity, the term t⁻¹ becomes negligible compared to y². Therefore, the equation can be simplified to y' = -y².
This differential equation represents exponential decay. The solutions will approach zero as t increases, regardless of the sign of y at t = 0. Therefore, the correct answer is b) Solutions approach zero as t increases; behavior depends on the magnitude of y at t = 0.