Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2012/ia/paper-2/1a/solution

The repeated-root constant-coefficient differential equation has characteristic polynomial . Its two fundamental solutions are
They are linearly independent: their Wronskian is , which never vanishes. For the forced equation, exploit the repeated factor by writing . Direct differentiation gives , so the forcing reduces to . The initial data imply and , hence . Therefore
The extra factor reflects resonance of the forcing with the repeated characteristic root; the exponential substitution obtains it without guessing a particular solution.

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