Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2014/iii/paper-5/4/b/ii/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 5 4 b ii Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The integrated travelling wave equation is . A finite limiting value at either end must satisfy . Otherwise continuity of makes eventually have a fixed sign and an absolute value bounded below, which is incompatible with convergence to . ThereforeSubtracting yields the Rankine-Hugoniot conditionFor distinct end states this givesDistinctness is needed for the printed quotient. If , the identity is . A nonconstant global profile is strictly monotone by the scalar ordinary differential equation, so cannot have equal finite end states. The equal-state profiles here are constant and their representation allows any .
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