Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-algebra-analysis-and-differential-equations-2-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2011/differential-equations/9/iv/solution

Differentiating the transform with respect to gives
Applying this to also gives for .
Now put , and . Transforming each term of the differential equation, and using the derivative identities, gives
The initial-value terms cancel, leaving
Integrating once yields . Partial fractions give
The transform pairs therefore imply, on writing ,
For the final parameter count, the differential equation is the derivative of : it says . Integrating gives . A regular solution at has finite and , forcing . Thus is first order and leaves only one constant. Equivalently, the original equation at zero requires , so the two usual initial values cannot be chosen independently. The displayed solution satisfies this constraint and verifies the original equation directly.

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