Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2018/ii/paper-2/8b/solution

In Cartesian coordinates the Lagrangian is
Introduce a Lagrange multiplier for . The Euler-Lagrange equations become
or
Differentiating the constraint twice gives
Taking the scalar product of the vector equation with therefore yields
Substitution gives
For , the equations have the first integrals
Writing and gives and . Hence every trajectory is
These are helices of unit angular frequency about a line parallel to the axis, including circles when and a straight line when .

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