Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 77 1 b i Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Choose the shock wave normal to point from to :The latter identity follows by differentiating along the moving surface. Write and . The distributional derivative of the Heaviside step function is and . The regular terms cancel using the conservation equations on each side, leavingThus the explicitly requested vector isOnly its normal component matters; adding tangential velocity to the surface parametrization changes neither result. The invariant surface delta distribution is , so the formula is the moving-interface conservation jump identity .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 iii Paper 327 2 ii Solution 2026-10-05
The distributional derivative of the Heaviside step function gives , while . A particular solution is therefore .
The difference from any other solution has second derivative zero. Applying a distribution with zero derivative is constant twice shows that difference is affine. ThusThe ramp function is continuous at , and its first derivative jumps there, producing the indicated delta source in its second derivative.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 327 2 b ii Solution Created 2026-09-28 Updated 2026-10-03
The distributional derivative of the Heaviside step function is . The Leibniz rule and therefore give
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ia Paper 2 7A a iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
For a compactly supported test function ,Thus this is the distributional derivative of the Heaviside step function: .