Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-year-2-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2016/paper-2/7/b/solution

At equilibrium, the two horizontal equations imply and then , so both vanish. Adding the two vertical equations gives ; the second separately gives . Hence
Retain the imposed constraint and set , , . Subtracting the equilibrium equations cancels all constant gravitational terms. For , the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices are
The horizontal reaction enforcing the constraint replaces the removed equation; it is not necessary to demand that the original unconstrained horizontal force on mass 2 vanish during motion. Because the zero-natural-length spring potentials are exactly quadratic, these displacement equations are actually exact within the ideal spring model, not merely first-order approximations.

New to topics? Read the docs here!