Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ib Paper 2 12G d Solution Created 2026-10-06 Updated 2026-10-14
Put . By submultiplicativity of the operator norm, , so the Neumann series converges absolutely in the complete finite-dimensional matrix space. Its partial sums satisfyTaking limits gives the inverse and a quantitative remainder bound:To establish two actual Fréchet derivatives, use the resolvent identityFor fixed and sufficiently small , factor and apply the Neumann series to the second factor. This proves that , that is locally bounded, and that . Subtracting in the identity leaves . Thus is the Fréchet derivative.
Near zero, , uniformly in the operator norm. Hence, as a linear operator in ,This proves differentiability of at zero, givingThe order of multiplication matters: the second Fréchet derivative is the symmetric bilinear map , not .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 iii Paper 102 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
The form attached to is . More generally, for a Lie algebra representation , the Trace form of a Lie algebra representation isThe unqualified Killing form is the special case of the Adjoint representation,The distinction matters: a Trace form of a Lie algebra representation can be degenerate even when is semisimple, for example on the trivial Lie algebra representation.
The Trace form of a Lie algebra representation is bilinear and symmetric, because . It is an invariant bilinear form on a Lie algebra:This follows by expanding both commutators and cyclically permuting factors under the matrix trace. Equivalently,Its radical of a bilinear form is an ideal of a Lie algebra, since if , then . The Killing form is also preserved by every automorphism of a Lie algebra, because the corresponding adjoint operators are conjugate. On a complex finite-dimensional Lie algebra, the Cartan criterion for semisimplicity says that the Killing form is nondegenerate exactly when the Lie algebra is semisimple. The Cartan solvability criterion says that is solvable exactly when .
We next construct the sl2 subalgebra associated with a root. Use the root-space decompositionFor , , invariance of the Killing form givesThus unless , and for nonzero . Nondegeneracy of on now implies that is a root and that pairs and nondegenerately.
Nondegeneracy of defines a unique byChoose and with . Their Lie bracket lies in the zero root space, namely , andTherefore .
The essential nonisotropic root lemma is that . Suppose instead that it vanished. Then , so would be a solvable Lie algebra with derived algebra . Apply the Lie theorem to its action on by the Adjoint representation. The commutator is strictly upper triangular in a suitable basis, hence nilpotent. But , so the root-space decomposition makes diagonalizable. A diagonalizable nilpotent linear map is zero. Thus is central in . The center of a Lie algebra of a semisimple Lie algebra is zero; equivalently a central element lies in the radical of the Killing form. This forces , contradicting .
Writing , defineThe root-space decomposition and giveThe three vectors are linearly independent because they lie in the distinct summands , , and . Their span is therefore a copy of the sl2 Lie algebra.
The weight lattice consists of the functionals integral on all coroots. With the coroot above, the weight lattice iswhere the fundamental weights satisfy for the simple roots . Here lies in the real span of the roots, viewed inside .
The classification of finite-dimensional sl2 representations says that every finite-dimensional complex sl2 Lie algebra representation is a direct sum of irreducibles , , on which the standard has eigenvalues . Restrict any finite-dimensional Lie algebra representation of to each sl2 subalgebra associated with a root. If has weight , then , so is an integer. Thus every weight lies in . The same restrictions show that the commuting simple coroots act diagonalizably, justifying the simultaneous weight-space decomposition.
For , the roots are , , and . Work on with the alternating bilinear form having matrixThe symplectic Lie algebra isUsing the matrix units , take the Cartan subalgebraDefine . A regular diagonal element of has centralizer precisely , and every element of acts diagonalizably. Thus it is a Cartan subalgebra. The requested Cartan decomposition is the root-space decompositionChoose positive roots , , , . The symplectic root sl2 triple are given explicitly byFor the negative root spaces, use the corresponding . These eight root vectors, together with , form a basis: the block description above has dimension , and the ten listed vectors are independent. Finally, the matrix unit identityverifies for every row. The diagonal differences verify and . Thus each row supplies a basis of the required sl2 subalgebra associated with a root.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 iii Paper 102 6 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
A smooth vector field on a smooth manifold is a smooth section of the tangent bundle: it assigns to each , smoothly in local coordinates. In a coordinate chart it has the form , with smooth coefficients . Equivalently, it acts on smooth functions as a derivation, .
For a Lie group , write for Left translation on a Lie group. A left-invariant vector field satisfiesThus it is determined by its value at the identity. Given the printed , first translate it to the identity:The unique left-invariant vector field with value at isThe smoothness of multiplication makes this a smooth vector field, the chain rule proves left invariance, and setting gives .
We prove the completeness of left-invariant vector fields: this left-invariant vector field is a complete vector field. The Picard-Lindelöf theorem, applied in a local chart, gives a unique local integral curve of a vector field through . For every , the curve is an integral curve of a vector field through , becauseCrucially, the same interval works for every initial point.
Let be the maximal integral curve of a vector field through , with maximal interval . If , choose with . The curveexists on and agrees with on the overlap by uniqueness of the local ordinary differential equation. It extends past , a contradiction. The same argument at a finite excludes that possibility. Thus , and uniqueness on overlapping intervals gives uniqueness on all of .
After establishing completeness, uniqueness also gives the one-parameter subgroup law for the global curve through :Both sides, as curves in , are integral curves of a vector field through at . Defining the Exponential map of a Lie group by , the answer is
The identity component is an open normal subgroup, and every open identity neighbourhood generates it. Let be the connected component of . The product of connected spaces is connected, so the image of under multiplication is connected and contains . It is therefore contained in . Inversion has the same property. Thus is a subgroup.
A smooth manifold is locally connected. In particular, a coordinate neighbourhood of can be chosen homeomorphic to an open ball, so there is a connected open neighbourhood of contained in . Its translates , , are open and lie in , and cover . Therefore the identity component of a Lie group is open in . Conjugation by any is a homeomorphism fixing , so it maps into itself; conjugation by gives the reverse inclusion. Hence is a normal subgroup.
If is an open neighbourhood of in , let , allowing inverses in the meaning of generated subgroup. For each , is open and lies in , so is open in . Every other left coset of is also open. Thus is both open and closed in the connected space . It is nonempty, so .
A quadratic form on is a function for a symmetric bilinear form . Equivalently, and the polarizationis a bilinear map. In coordinates there is a unique real symmetric matrix with . No assumption of nondegeneracy or positive definiteness is needed.
An element stabilizes when for every . By the polarization identity, this is equivalent to preserving , or in coordinates toThis is a closed Matrix Lie group. The Lie algebra of a quadratic-form stabilizer isTo prove necessity, differentiate along any smooth curve in with , . The derivative at zero is .
To prove sufficiency, suppose and consider the matrix exponential . ThenIts value at zero is , so for every real . This curve has derivative at zero, proving the claimed tangent space description even for a degenerate quadratic form.
Equivalently, the condition is for all . For a nondegenerate quadratic form it is the corresponding Special orthogonal Lie algebra. To see the degenerate case explicitly, choose a basis withWriting , the condition becomeswhile are arbitrary. Thus the nullspace of the quadratic form is invariant, but arbitrary infinitesimal maps into it are allowed. When , the formula correctly gives and .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 iii Paper 114 3 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
For nonzero finite-dimensional and , the intended assertion is true. Write , , and replace by , of dimension . Injectivity on the stated slices implies whenever . Consequently the bilinear map defines a continuous map of Complex projective spacesThe rank is at least one, since one such nonzero tensor has nonzero image.
Let be the respective tautological bundles. Fiberwise, identifies with . For the positive hyperplane classes , and (zero when the projective space is a point), the first Chern class of a tensor product of complex line bundles givesThe Künneth theorem, together with part (a), identifies the product cohomology ring withThere are no Tor terms because the factor groups are free. In particular, its monomials with , form an integral additive basis. In top degree,If , the target relation would imply and hence contradict this nonzero top power. ThusWhen , the already-established inequality gives the same conclusion. The complex bilinear dimension bound is sharp: multiplication of complex polynomials of degrees less than and has target dimension , is injective in either nonzero fixed factor, and its image spans every monomial in that target.
Literal zero-space qualification. The printed assertion does not explicitly exclude zero vector spaces. If , and , its slice-injectivity hypothesis is vacuous, while the claimed inequality would be . Thus, with zero spaces permitted, this is a counterexample to the assertion exactly as written; the proof above supplies the usual nonzero finite-dimensional interpretation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 iii Paper 115 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Let be the inclusion. The restriction of a connection to an embedded submanifold is the pullback connection on . Concretely, for a tangent vector field on and a local section of , extend smoothly off and define by differentiating the extension in direction . Two extensions differ by a field whose coefficients vanish on . Their derivatives along every tangent curve in vanish too, and the connection's coefficient terms are multiplied by the zero field. The answer is therefore independent of the extension. Dependence only on the value of the first argument follows from the connection's linearity over smooth functions.
The induced Riemannian metric is positive definite, so the fibrewise orthogonal projection is smooth. For tangent fields define the projected ambient connection . It is real-linear and satisfiesbecause . Thus is a Koszul connection on .
The Levi-Civita connection is characterized by the torsion-free connection and metric connection conditionsThese determine it uniquely. For the ambient Levi-Civita connection, the Gauss formula is , withLinearity over smooth functions in is immediate. In , the additional term is tangent and is killed by . Thus tensoriality makes a bilinear map into the normal bundle. Its antisymmetric part isbecause the Lie bracket of vector fields tangent to is tangent. This proves the symmetry of the second fundamental form in an arbitrary Riemannian ambient manifold.
Write the curvature operators as and with in place of . To match the four-slot notation in the requested identity, useThis convention is stated because permuting the slots can change the displayed signs.
If is a normal field and is tangent, metric compatibility applied to gives the tangential derivative of a normal field identityUsing the Gauss formula and this identity,Here the normal part of pairs to zero with . Interchange and subtract; the bracket term obeys . It follows thatRearranging proves the Gauss equation in a curved ambient manifold:All expressions are tensorial, so choosing local extensions of the four tangent vectors proves the pointwise identity at . With flat Euclidean ambient space, and this reduces to the usual Gauss equation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 iii Paper 302 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Over or , a Lie algebra is a vector space with a bilinear map which is alternating and obeys the Jacobi identity:Bilinearity and alternation imply .
For a Matrix Lie group, identify the tangent space with derivatives of smooth curves through . Product curves show that the sum of two such derivatives is again tangent, and reparametrization supplies scalar multiples. In particular this is a real vector space, even when the matrices have complex entries. For , choose a curve with . Conjugating a curve with derivative shows thatDifferentiate this curve in the finite-dimensional vector space . The result isThe matrix commutator is bilinear and alternating, and expanding the six terms proves its Jacobi identity. Thus this construction gives the Lie algebra of a matrix Lie group, with the appropriate bracket, using actual group curves rather than an assumed commutator closure.
For the unitary group, differentiating gives . Conversely, if , then is unitary and is a curve with derivative . ConsequentlyThis is the unitary Lie algebra. The diagonal entries are purely imaginary, contributing real parameters, and each upper off-diagonal entry contributes two real parameters. A matrix-unit basis of the unitary Lie algebra isThese anti-Hermitian matrix units and their combinations are linearly independent over and span every allowed entry.
The symplectic stabilizer is a subgroup: the identity preserves , and if and , thenMultiplying on the left by and on the right by gives . Products and inverses remain unitary. This is the compact symplectic group, often denoted or .
Differentiating the stabilizer equation gives . For , this saysTogether with , these are equivalentlyThese conditions are also sufficient: is unitary, andHence it stays in the subgroup. They characterize its compact symplectic Lie algebra without adding any trace condition. In fact the trace automatically vanishes. The free anti-Hermitian block has real parameters, and the complex symmetric matrix has real parameters. Thus
Here is a complete matrix-unit basis of the compact symplectic Lie algebra. The generators supplying areThe two families supplying the real and imaginary parts of are, for ,The denominator merely avoids double-counting diagonal entries. Each displayed generator obeys both defining tangent conditions. The generators form a real basis of the allowed blocks, and the generators form a real basis of the complex symmetric blocks. Thus they are independent and their total number is . They give all generators required by the real compact algebra, including the case .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 337 1 iii Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Eliminate the instantaneous Stokes flow velocity in favour of temperature. On a horizontal Fourier mode , the Stokes temperature-slaving operator maps to , where and . The temperature evolution has linear operator and bilinear map . Under the homogeneous thermal Dirichlet boundary conditions, is self-adjoint. Normalize its critical eigenfunction as and set ; the critical vertical velocity is .
At order , the critical eigenfunction equation gives . At order , the weakly nonlinear expansion contains the imposed second harmonic and the quadratic products of the critical mode: a horizontally uniform temperature correction proportional to and, in a general vertical-mode calculation, a second harmonic proportional to . These corrections are found by solving the noncritical boundary value problems, with homogeneous thermal data except for the imposed forcing.
At order , the method of multiple scales produces the slow derivative , the detuning term , and the two cross-advection terms involving first- and second-order fields. Project the component onto the adjoint eigenfunction using the vertical inner product. This is the solvability condition in the method of multiple scales: divide each resonant projection by . The detuning supplies with ; interactions of horizontal wavenumbers and permit with ; self-interaction through the slaved mean and second harmonic supplies . Other products have the wrong horizontal wavenumber. Reflection permits real coefficients with this cosine forcing. Thus the symmetry-allowed spatially forced convection amplitude equation isThere is a useful specialization that should not be silently missed. For the literal one-vertical-mode Stokes flow problem, the vanishing two-to-one forcing coefficient for Stokes convection makes at this order. To see this, write a positive second-harmonic forcing component as , incorporating the cosine's factor . Its coupling to the negative critical harmonic has projected integrand, apart from sign and its factor ,The integral vanishes because at both plates, even though is nonzero. This proves the cancellation without solving the forced profiles. The permitted coefficient is therefore zero times ; symmetry alone does not establish nonzero phase pinning for the equations actually supplied.
The same normalization makes the remaining coefficients explicit. Since , . The quadratic second harmonic cancels for , while the uniform correction is . Projecting gives . Thus for the literal model and this temperature normalization,A generic nonzero would require a nonvanishing projection in an amended physical model or a different forcing structure. It is still meaningful to classify the real-coefficient amplitude equation requested independently.
Write . Then and . These are a gradient flow for , so local minima give stable equilibrium points. At the origin the two eigenvalues are and . The origin has exponential asymptotic stability if , retains asymptotic stability with algebraic decay at , and is unstable if . At equality, obeys , since both linear coefficients are nonpositive. Integrating this inequality proves attraction even in the zero-eigenvalue direction.
For the stable nonzero equilibrium points are real; for they are imaginary:The real branch has Jacobian matrix eigenvalues ; the imaginary branch has . The oppositely aligned branch, when it exists, is a saddle equilibrium. No mixed real-imaginary nonzero equilibrium is possible when .
For , the origin is stable for , with algebraic decay at zero. If , the circle is radially attracting. Each point has Lyapunov stability but has a neutral phase direction, so it does not have individual asymptotic stability; the circle has orbital stability. This is the literal model's unpinned family. The general nonzero- branches instead exhibit phase locking to one of two phases separated by .
Second derivative of the determinant 2026-10-14
The derivative of the determinant at an invertible matrix is . At , use and . Differentiating the first derivative gives the displayed symmetric bilinear map. More generally .
Symmetric bilinear diagonal-parallel lemma 2026-10-14
Let be a symmetric bilinear map on a finite-dimensional real vector space. If is parallel to for every , then it has the displayed form for one covector . Write in a basis. Applying the condition to and excludes every component outside their span and gives . Set and extend by bilinearity. Dimension one follows by the same definition. The trace identity proves uniqueness without depending on the chosen basis.
Tensor product Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
A tensor product turns a bilinear map into a linear map. For vector spaces over the same field , its elements are finite sums of pure tensors , subject to bilinearity:The scalar belongs to ; writing makes this choice explicit. These rules preserve separate linearity while allowing arbitrary linear combinations of products.[ref]
Linear Algebra Done Right by Sheldon Axler (4th edition). §9D, 9.71–9.74, printed pp. 372–373: tensor products, bilinearity, and bases
For a concrete example, take , with basis vectors in the first copy and in the second. The four tensor-product basis elements areThe pure tensor made from and expands toEach basis vector in one factor can interact with each basis vector in the other. This is why dimensions multiply; the tensor-product coefficient matrix displays these four interactions as a two-by-two grid.
The tensor product is different from the Cartesian product . With componentwise vector addition and scalar multiplication, the latter contains pairs and has dimension . The map is bilinear, generally neither linear on that Cartesian product nor injective nor surjective. In our example, , and ; the separability of a tensor explains why some outputs cannot be reached at all. Both spaces happen to have dimension four when , but this coincidence does not identify their structures.
Tensor-product basis Created 2026-10-05 Updated 2026-10-14
If and are bases of finite-dimensional vector spaces over , then the products form a basis of . There is one independent coordinate for every pair of indices.[ref]
Linear Algebra Done Right by Sheldon Axler (4th edition). §9D, Theorems 9.72 and 9.74, printed pp. 372–373: dimension and tensor-product basis
For a proof outline, bilinearity expands each pure tensor asso these products form a spanning set. For linear independence, take the coordinate functionals from the two dual bases. The bilinear map induces a linear functional on the tensor product, satisfying . Applying it to a proposed zero linear combination selects just , forcing every coefficient to vanish. Thus dimensions multiply, rather than add. This finite-dimensional count includes a zero factor, whose tensor product has dimension zero.
Universal property of a tensor product Created 2026-10-05 Updated 2026-10-25
For a bilinear map , there is exactly one linear map satisfying . Equivalently, , where . The universal property of a tensor product concerns the vector space together with this distinguished bilinear map.[ref]
Linear Algebra Done Right by Sheldon Axler (4th edition). §9D, Theorem 9.79(a), printed p. 375: unique linear factorization
Here is a complete calculation over the real numbers. Define the bilinear mapIts values on pairs of basis vectors determine on the four tensor-product basis elements:Consequently, for ,For and , the direct calculation gives . Using the expansion of instead gives . The linear map also handles a nonseparable tensor such as : , even though no single pair has .
A short proof uses a tensor-product basis: assign and extend by linearity. Expanding both inputs verifies by bilinearity; the assigned values on a basis force uniqueness. More generally, every multilinear map factors uniquely through a linear map from . This lets formulas involving several inputs define linear maps without choosing coordinates; tensor contraction uses the evaluation pairing between a vector and a covector.
