Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-algebra-analysis-and-differential-equations-2-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2005/analysis/6/solution

For , a singular point at zero is regular when and extend analytically to zero. Here
so these products are analytic at zero. The equation remains singular there because has a pole.
Substitute . The lowest power gives the indicial equation . Comparing the next powers gives
For the denominators do not vanish. With , and , so
With , the recurrence becomes
Consequently on , with the binomial series for its last factor. The nonzero coefficient ratios tend to one, giving radius one for that power-series factor. The factor specifies the Frobenius branch; the different leading powers prove independence.
When , both indicial roots become zero and the analytic Frobenius solution in both cases is a multiple of . To obtain the missing solution use reduction of order. Away from zero and one, , hence
Thus the real general solution on any interval avoiding the singular points is
Its Wronskian with is , proving independence. For complex solutions choose a logarithm branch on a suitable simply connected region.

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