Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-algebra-analysis-and-differential-equations-1-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2004/analysis/6/solution
Past exam of the algebra, analysis and differential equations 1 course of the University of Oxford 2004 Analysis 6 Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
After division by , the coefficients areTheir only finite singularities are and . At either point , the products and are analytic, so both points are regular singular points. All other finite points are ordinary.
The lowest power after substituting the Frobenius series gives . The coefficient of then givesFor both exponents the denominator is nonzero for every , so each arbitrary nonzero determines a series. Unless it terminates, its coefficient ratio tends to , proving convergence for . For the half-integer exponent choose a square-root branch. Their leading powers and show that the two local solutions are linearly independent.
If is a positive integer, choose . The recurrence numerator is nonzero for and vanishes at . Thus , , and all later coefficients vanish: a polynomial solution of exact degree exists. It is proportional to the Chebyshev polynomial , since the substitution transforms the equation into .
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