Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2010/ii/paper-3/24h/i/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 ii Paper 3 24H i Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
The Theorema Egregium states that Gaussian curvature is determined by the first fundamental form, and therefore preserved by local isometries. For a local surface parametrization , write , choose a unit normal , and set . Decomposing the second derivatives into tangent and normal parts givesCommute the third partial derivatives of and take tangent components. The terms involving derivatives of are normal; the tangent terms give the Gauss equationwhere is computed from derivatives and products of the displayed Christoffel symbols, using . For example the tangent term from differentiating is , which produces exactly the difference of the two products on the right. ConsequentlyThe last expression depends only on and its derivatives. Pulling back under a local isometry therefore preserves , proving the theorem.
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