Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2007/ii/paper-4/30a/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2007 ii Paper 4 30A Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
For a function, let be its spherical mean. Differentiation and the divergence theorem giveIf is harmonic, this derivative is zero; since by continuity, every spherical mean equals the value at the centre. Integrating over gives the same statement for the volume mean on a ball. This proves the mean value property for harmonic functions.
If is subharmonic, , so . ThusThese are the corresponding mean value inequalities. A subharmonic function has the maximum principle on a ball: apply the second-derivative test to , whose Laplacian is strictly positive and hence cannot have an interior maximum, then let .
For , the given equation says . Since is real,The subharmonic maximum principle gives throughout the ball. Taking square roots yieldsNo sign condition on the real potential is needed.
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