Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2015/prelims/mathematics-iii/1/c/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Oxford 2015 Prelims Mathematics III 1 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-25
The function solves the linear ordinary differential equation. Apply reduction of order by writing . Substituting and and cancelling the terms in givesFor , this becomes a first-order linear ordinary differential equation:A partial fraction decomposition provides the required antiderivative:ThereforeThe logarithm has positive argument on the required interval. The Wronskian of and is , proving their linear independence and hence completeness of this general solution.
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