Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-year-2-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2025/paper-2/2/a/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 2 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge 2025 Paper 2 2 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
For an axisymmetric harmonic function, put in the Laplacian in spherical coordinates and multiply by . Separation of variables givesWith , the angular equation becomes the Legendre differential equation. Regularity at both poles selects the Legendre polynomials with integer ; the singular second solutions are excluded. The radial Euler-Cauchy equation has solutions and . Superposition therefore giveswith coefficients chosen to ensure convergence and the required boundary regularity. The axisymmetric harmonic extension from a sphere gives these coefficients directly from boundary data.
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