Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2017/ib/paper-2/17b/a/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ib Paper 2 17B a Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
For the quantum harmonic oscillator, the Time-independent Schrodinger equation iswith . The given dimensionless coordinate yields . Substituting the Gaussian factor givesBy the supplied normalizability fact, is a nonzero polynomial. If its degree is , comparison of the leading coefficient forces . Conversely, at this value the coefficient recurrenceproduces a degree- polynomial with parity : start with a nonzero constant for even or a nonzero linear coefficient for odd , and the recurrence terminates at degree . This is a multiple of the Hermite polynomial. Its product with the Gaussian is square integrable and can be normalized. Therefore all and only the allowed energies are
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