Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-calculus-of-variations-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2009/3/b/iii/solution
Past exam of the calculus of variations course of the University of Oxford 2009 3 b iii Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
Zero is a strict weak local minimizer, but is not a strong local minimizer. The derivative integrand has expansion , so for small it is at least . Concavity gives for every real . Therefore, when is small,using . This proves strict weak minimality.
For the strong claim, let . Its amplitude tends to zero and its derivative is almost everywhere, so the derivative integrand is the constant . The other integrand term is at most . HenceThis disproves strong minimality. The same obstruction is detected by the Weierstrass necessary condition, since the supporting-tangent inequality at slope zero fails at .
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