Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2013 iii Paper 61 6 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
The original PDF has indices ; the exponent is lost in the TeX transcription. This lacunary indexing is essential to the positive lacunary Chebyshev series argument below.
Let be the least nonnegative integer with , so for . DefineFor the sum is empty and means the zero polynomial. Each included Chebyshev polynomial has degree at most . Also on the interval, so summability of the positive coefficients gives uniform convergence by the Weierstrass M-test, andChoose and the points , . For every omitted index , the integer is odd. Consequently,Every term of the tail has the same sign at a given point, and thereforeThis shows both that the error norm is exactly and that it alternates at distinct points. The points are in decreasing order; reversing their order still gives alternation. The Chebyshev alternation theorem proves that this partial sum is the unique best uniform approximation. HenceIn particular, and . The equal signs of all tail terms at the same extrema are the reason positivity and the odd integer frequency ratios are useful.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ii Paper 3 39A iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
Two consecutive steps multiply by the polynomial of the symmetric matrixThe Chebyshev polynomial bound on gives , and the actual endpoints attain it. At the dominant eigenvalue, . ThusFor a small prescribed error relative to a fixed initial-component factor , the number of matrix-vector iterations is approximately . The three leading denominators are . Therefore the iteration counts are in the ratio : the single shift halves and the alternating double shift quarters the leading count. A pair of double-shift steps costs two matrix-vector products, already accounted for by using per iteration rather than .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ia Paper 2 6C Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
Substitute the power series and compare the coefficient of . This givesorThe two arbitrary coefficients determine all solutions. The condition sets , leaving the even series. It terminates precisely when for some nonnegative integer . Therefore the permitted real values are or for ; these are the even Chebyshev polynomials up to normalization.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ii Paper 1 2H Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
The Chebyshev polynomial identity implies on . Since , the Weierstrass M-test shows thatconverges uniformly on . Every partial sum is continuous, so the uniform limit theorem makes a well-defined continuous function.
LetThen . Since every is odd and, for , is an odd integer,It follows thatThus the error has equal alternating extrema at ordered points. The Chebyshev alternation theorem shows that is a best uniform approximation among polynomials of degree at most , and in particular
Now let be the prescribed decreasing positive sequence. DefineThen decreases strictly to zero, so every , the series converges, andGiven , choose with . Monotonicity of best-approximation errors and of givesHence this continuous satisfiesfor every polynomial of degree at most . This is the polynomial form of Bernstein's lethargy theorem.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 157 2 d Solution 2026-09-28
Take the degree- Chebyshev polynomial , characterized byIts Julia set is the interval . The complement is connected, and it is exactly the basin of infinity. Hence has exactly one Fatou component. This is the Chebyshev polynomial Julia set example.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 2 3B Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
Multiplication by puts the equation in Sturm-Liouville theory form:Multiply the equations for by , subtract and integrate. The boundary term vanishes because at both endpoints and the polynomial derivatives are bounded. Therefore, for ,This is the usual Chebyshev polynomial orthogonality.
Differentiating the original equation and writing givesIts self-adjoint form isThe same subtraction argument now yields, for ,These two relations form the Chebyshev derivative Sturm-Liouville pair.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 318 2 c Solution 2026-09-25
For any , take , the Chebyshev polynomial of degree . It has alternating extrema of magnitude one on . The Chebyshev alternation theorem shows that the zero polynomial is best from , with error one. Since it also lies in when ,
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 2G a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25