Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2008/iii/paper-82/1/a/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 iii Paper 82 1 a Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
The limiting polynomial has a double root at , so two roots require a Puiseux series. For positive , put and . Substitution and dominant balance giveThus and . The two finite roots have the three-term asymptotic expansionsThis is square-root splitting of a double polynomial root. For negative , the same formulas apply with a chosen complex square root and describe a complex conjugate pair.
The third root is a divergent algebraic root in a singular perturbation. Set : the equation for is . Its nonzero limiting root is . Substituting yields and , henceAs an independent check, Vieta formulas give the sum of roots as : the two finite-root expansions sum to , giving the same large-root expansion.
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