Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematical-methods-ii-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2021-resit/10/a/solution
Past exam of the mathematical methods II course of the University of Oxford 2021 resit 10 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-25
Put and , with . The chain rule givesFor a nonzero pulse the wave equation on a string therefore requiresIt is not a solution for arbitrary ; the zero pulse is the trivial exception. Here is linear mass density, and is tension. With , the maximum lies at , so the Gaussian function translates towards decreasing by between the two times. Its amplitude and width stay constant.
Original sketch of the Gaussian pulse translating to the left at constant speed
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