Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-year-2-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/paper-2/2/b/i/solution

For , separation of variables gives . With the standard separation constants and , the zero-endpoint solutions are sines. Thus, provided ,
is nonzero, has zero value on all four sides, and satisfies .
There is a missing qualification in the printed request for arbitrary integer . The Dirichlet and Neumann spectra of a square show that a nonzero Dirichlet solution exists precisely when
When one of is zero, the displayed sine product vanishes identically, and a nonzero solution need not exist: for example or admits none. On the other hand does admit . Thus the natural intended case is two nonzero integer indices, with the stated spectral criterion covering the exceptional cases.

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