Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 ia Paper 2 7A b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2013 iii Paper 16 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Use the positive Laplace-Beltrami operator . A Riemannian submersion is a surjective smooth submersion for which, at every , the restriction of to is a linear isometry onto . The spaces and are its vertical and horizontal spaces. Its fibres are totally geodesic submanifolds precisely when is vertical for vertical vector fields : their second fundamental form vanishes. Equivalently, a geodesic initially tangent to a fibre remains in that fibre while defined.
For a smooth , its basic function is constant along each fibre. The Riemannian gradient of is the horizontal lift of a vector field through a submersion of , sincefor horizontal , and for vertical . In particular no derivative of in a vertical direction occurs.
Here is the needed connection fact, which also follows directly from the Koszul formula: for horizontal lifts of vector fields on , the horizontal component of projects to . To see this, pair the Koszul formula with a third horizontal lift . The horizontal inner products are pulled back from , and the horizontal components of their Lie brackets of vector fields project to the brackets on . Thus all six terms are the pullbacks of the corresponding terms on .
Choose an adapted Riemannian orthonormal frame , with the horizontal lifts. Using , the connection fact givesFor a vertical , both and , the latter because the fibres are totally geodesic submanifolds. Taking the negative metric trace of the Riemannian Hessian therefore proves the basic-function Laplacian identityThis identity is local and does not require compactness. Vanishing mean curvature of the fibres would already suffice; total geodesicity makes each vertical summand vanish separately.
For the discrete eigenspace assertion, assume the two Riemannian manifolds are closed manifolds. Without a discrete spectral realization, an unrestricted noncompact version need not have an eigenbasis. The projections of the Riemannian product are Riemannian submersions with totally geodesic submanifolds as fibres. Its Levi-Civita connection splits into the two factor connections. Consequently its positive Laplace-Beltrami operator isThe cross term in the product rule for the positive Laplace-Beltrami operator is zero because the two factor Riemannian gradients are orthogonal.
We use the standard compact elliptic compact elliptic spectral theorem: the positive Laplace-Beltrami operator on a closed manifold is self-adjoint, has compact resolvent, and has a complete orthonormal eigenbasis of smooth eigenfunctions, with finite-dimensional eigenspaces and eigenvalues tending to infinity. Let and . Fubini's theorem and completeness on each factor show that form a complete orthonormal basis of . For example, a function orthogonal to all these products has, for each , zero -coefficient as an function, hence is zero.
The displayed operator identity makes an eigenfunction with eigenvalue . Conversely, if , self-adjointness of the positive Laplace-Beltrami operator givesAll other coefficients vanish. Only finitely many pairs can have , since both spectra are nonnegative and have finitely many eigenvalues below any fixed bound. Thus the product Laplacian eigenspace decomposition isThe tensor product summands are mutually orthogonal; their elements are actual smooth eigenfunctions, so this is an equality of eigenspaces, not just a formal expansion.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2013 iii Paper 16 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Let be a closed manifold with a Riemannian metric and use , the positive Laplace-Beltrami operator. This is the setting in which the final discrete eigenfunction expansion applies without additional boundary or noncompact spectral hypotheses. A Riemannian heat kernel is a smooth for such thatfor every smooth initial function . Here solves the heat equation. The limit is the statement that the initial kernel is the Dirac delta distribution on the diagonal. In the closed setting this uniquely determines the heat kernel; it is symmetric, preserves constants, is nonnegative, and satisfies the semigroup property.
A heat parametrix is an approximate version with the same delta initial limit and with errorregular enough at to correct by a convergent integral series. One may construct it by the local Gaussian ansatzwhere near the diagonal and is supported in a convex normal neighborhood, and the smooth coefficients solve the usual radial transport equations. The leading coefficient accounts for the Riemannian volume form. Taking sufficiently large makes the residual extend continuously, with any prescribed finite number of derivatives, to . Alternatively a smooth asymptotic summation of all transport coefficients gives a residual vanishing to every order. These local construction, extension and differentiability facts are used here as subsidiary results, as permitted.
For the correction proof take a heat parametrix whose residual is smooth up to on a short interval . We also use its uniform integral bound , its approximate-identity limit, and the following standard differentiability property: convolution with a smooth time-dependent kernel gives a smooth kernel for , and differentiating it yields the identity below. These properties follow from the Gaussian estimates and the delta initial limit; no conclusion about the final exact heat kernel is assumed.
Define the Volterra convolution of kernels byIt is associative wherever these integrals converge. The delta term at the upper endpoint givesSeek . Then its error vanishes exactly when . The solution is the Volterra parametrix correctionThe signs matter: the first correction is .
To prove convergence, let and . The time variables in range over a simplex of volume , soThe series for therefore converges uniformly on . Derivatives obey analogous bounds, with polynomial factors in , by the quoted residual extension and differentiation properties. Thus the series can be convolved and differentiated as above. Associativity and absolute convergence give , proving . The correction has integral norm by the integral bound on and boundedness of . It has zero initial limit, so has precisely the required delta initial data.
For uniqueness, a smooth solution with zero initial data satisfies the heat equation energy identityIts initial norm is zero, hence . Applying uniqueness to consecutive evolutions proves the semigroup property. Choose and, for arbitrary , compose enough kernels that . The resulting kernel is independent of the subdivision by uniqueness, is smooth for positive time by the quoted differentiability property, and extends the construction to every . This proves a parametrix determines the global heat kernel in the closed setting. The heat equation maximum principle gives nonnegativity and applying uniqueness to the constant initial function gives conservation of total mass. Self-adjointness of the positive Laplace-Beltrami operator gives symmetry.
Finally let be a complete complex orthonormal eigenbasis of , with eigenvalues , repeated by multiplicity. As subsidiary analytic facts we use the compact elliptic compact elliptic spectral theorem, elliptic regularity bounds making each fixed derivative of grow at most polynomially in , and a polynomial eigenvalue-counting bound. The spectral expansion of the Riemannian heat kernel converges because exponential decay makes the following series converge with every derivative when :Indeed, evolving initial data gives by direct substitution into the heat equation and uniqueness. For general , completeness and the heat equation energy identity giveThe smoothly convergent kernel series represents this same operator, and equality for all smooth identifies it pointwise with the constructed heat kernel. The complex conjugate is required by the inner product; for a real eigenbasis it may be omitted. A noncompact Riemannian manifold may instead require a spectral integral, and the unqualified discrete formula should not be asserted there.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 59 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Eigenfrequencies and mode geometry. Write and . The characteristic polynomial is . Therefore the two distinct real eigenvalues areThe sign assumptions imply and ; they do not alone imply . A positive lower frequency additionally requires , as in the usual nondegenerate physical Laplace-Lagrange secular matrix.
Distinct eigenvalues give an eigenbasis, and each secular eigenmode evolves by multiplication by . Hencewith nonnegative amplitudes and initial phases. The second row of each eigenvalue equation gives . For the upper eigenvalue this ratio is negative, whereas for the lower one it is positive. ThusThe upper secular eigenmode has anti-aligned apsides, and the lower has aligned apsides. If one amplitude vanishes, its phase is immaterial.
The initial vector sums. The planet-1 modal vectors point at and . Their resultant at requires . The planet-2 vectors point at and ; their resultant at requires . These follow by resolving components perpendicular to each resultant. In particular the specified phases constrain the matrix: . They cannot be imposed on an arbitrary matrix satisfying only the sign assumptions.
Put and let . For a matrix compatible with those phases,At zero the resultants have lengths and and precisely the specified longitudes of periapsis. The diagram uses , as a drawing normalization, not as an additional assumption on the physical planets.
Each modal vector rotates counterclockwise if its eigenvalue is positive; their sum executes a beat at frequency . For these phases,The orbital eccentricities exchange their maxima and minima, with respective ranges to and to . The longitude of periapsis is the argument of each displayed vector sum; it does not in general advance uniformly at either individual eigenfrequency. The complex eccentricity trajectories are generally quasiperiodic; they close only for commensurate modal frequencies. This example has a dominating upper mode in planet 1 and a dominating lower mode in planet 2, so their apsidal phases have different winding rates.
Amplitude product and the angular-momentum convention. Since ,Under the ratio supplied in the paper, this is approximately , to the same accuracy as that supplied ratio. There is a physical convention issue: with the usual planet labels and , conservation of quadratic angular momentum deficit requires , giving . This follows directly by differentiating . Thus the paper's stated angular-momentum ratio is reversed for the conventional column-vector equation . The exact algebraic product above is independent of that naming discrepancy.
Tidal dissipation and damping. Assume the tidal dissipation contributes only the specified linear eccentricity damping, without changing the conservative matrix or adding apsidal precession. ThenThe plus sign in is crucial: multiplication by produces the negative real damping rate. Its exact eigenvalues areThe square-root branch is chosen to approach as . With , their first-order imaginary parts areBoth are positive because , so both secular eigenmodes decay as , although only planet 1 feels direct eccentricity damping. The coupling transmits that damping to planet 2. Their precession frequencies change only at second order; their eigenvectors acquire small complex corrections, so exact alignment or anti-alignment becomes a small apsidal phase lag. The more slowly damped mode eventually dominates, unless its initial coefficient vanishes: it is the lower aligned mode for and the upper anti-aligned mode for . At both leading damping rates equal .
The stated slow-secular condition presumes a nonzero positive . It need not imply near a nearly degenerate pair, so the exact square-root formula is the appropriate answer there. Exceptionally, the discriminant vanishes at , ; then a generalized eigenvector supplies a term. There is still decay. Indeed positive diagonal weights satisfying giveNonzero off-diagonal coupling excludes a nondecaying mode supported solely on planet 2. This checks the damping signs without relying on the weak-damping expansion.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 63 4 a i Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Use the Fourier transform convention . Since , it is real, so . The positive-frequency cutoff therefore also eliminates frequencies at or below . Normalization gives .
For spectral filtering of Hamiltonian terms, chooseIn an energy eigenbasis, its matrix elements areAt the frequency is zero, so the normalization preserves the ground-state expectation:The spectral filter is a positive weighted average of unitary conjugations; in particular the integral is bounded in operator norm by . We can choose it even without an extra assumed tail bound: the evenization of a nonnegative bandlimited filter proved in part (e) produces another admissible spectral filter with the same type of positive-time decay. Make that choice consistently in all the filtered terms and shell definitions below.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 ia Paper 1 7A iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
Let with . Commutation givesThus belongs to the eigenspace , with the zero vector allowed. Since has distinct eigenvalues, each eigenspace is one-dimensional. Hence for some scalar . This is the fact that commuting maps preserve eigenspaces.
The standard linear independence theorem for eigenvectors belonging to distinct eigenvalues supplies a basis of eigenvectors of . The preceding argument makes every one an eigenvector of as well. Their column matrix therefore simultaneously diagonalizes and . This is simple spectrum gives simultaneous diagonalization.
For real matrices, this conclusion always holds over ; a real common basis follows when the distinct eigenvalues of are real. Real matrix entries alone do not ensure a real eigenbasis: a quarter-turn of , with , has eigenvalues . The matrices in this question have real spectra, so their common basis is real.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 ia Paper 1 7A iv Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
Direct multiplication givesTake and in the preceding result: has the three distinct eigenvalues and the matrices commute. The common eigenbasis from part (i) givesIndeed and , and . These equalities directly verify the simultaneous diagonalization.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 67 4 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Use the Fourier transform convention and define the spectral filtering of Hamiltonian terms byThe normalization means . Since is real and nonnegative, . Thus the stated positive-frequency cutoff also implies for . The integral exists in operator norm, because its integrand has norm at most .
Let , with for . In this eigenbasis,Every matrix element coupling the unique ground state to an excited state vanishes, in either direction. HenceMoreover, linearity and conservation of under its own Heisenberg picture evolution giveEach filtered term is Hermitian, but it need not remain supported on its original set . The tail assumption supplies stronger long-time control than the integrability used here; no additional tail estimate is needed for the requested identities.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 ii Paper 2 15F i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
The symmetric power is the quotient of identifying tensors which differ by permutation of the factors. The exterior power is the alternating quotient, with a tensor having repeated equal factors set to zero. Both quotients inherit the given group action. For a basis , bases consist respectively of monomials with , and wedge products with . Thuswith the second dimension zero for .
A finite-order group element is diagonalizable over , because its minimal polynomial divides , which has no repeated roots. Choose an eigenbasis with eigenvalues . The induced eigenvalues, including multiplicities, areThe zeroth powers are the one-dimensional trivial representation, with the empty product equal to .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 103 2 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Use the Young–Jucys–Murphy elements in the group algebra . Their joint spectrum isEquivalently one can use the regular representation, which contains every irreducible representation. The commuting elements are self-adjoint in a unitary representation, so there is a simultaneous eigenbasis.
A standard Young tableau has entries increasing along each row and down each column. If entry occupies cell , its Content of a Young-diagram cell is . Define the set of content vectors of standard Young tableaux byThe shape here is a partition of an integer; it is not itself the vector of eigenvalues. For both sets consist of .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ii Paper 3 39A i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
Expand the initial vector in the orthonormal eigenbasis. After unshifted steps, the coefficient ratio of mode to the dominant mode is . Since and , the sharp asymptotic contraction factor isNormalization only changes the dominant coefficient by a higher-order error; its eventual sign is the sign of .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ib Paper 4 1F Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
An eigenvalue of a matrix is a scalar for which for some nonzero eigenvector . Its corresponding eigenspace is
Write . The displayed matrix is the outer product , soIts column space is contained in and is nonzero because . Hence is a rank-one matrix.
The vector is an eigenvector with eigenvalue , and every vector in the orthogonal complement has eigenvalue . ThusSince is a direct sum of these eigenspaces, has an eigenbasis and is therefore a diagonalizable.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 iii Paper 324 1 a iii Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Measure the coset state in the common eigenbasis of the group shift operators. Its overlap isThe character-sum cancellation lemma makes this sum when is trivial on , and zero otherwise. Hence, with the annihilator of a subgroup of a finite abelian group,Since , this is the uniform distribution on a finite set . The factor has modulus one, so the distribution is independent of . This is abelian hidden-subgroup Fourier sampling.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 iii Paper 324 1 a ii Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Write the finite abelian group additively. Its group shift operator isThese unitary operators form the regular representation and commute. The representation-theoretic facts we use are that every irreducible representation of a finite abelian group is one-dimensional, there are such characters of a representation, and their character orthogonality gives an orthonormal basis of functions on . Each linear character here is a group homomorphism , with .
For , the character group of a finite abelian group, putChanging variables to givesThe vectors are therefore a common eigenbasis. Using instead of its complex conjugate in their definition reverses every eigenphase; this is merely the quantum Fourier transform sign convention.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 iii Paper 324 1 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
The distinct values in one period imply that is the least positive period, , and . Write , where and . Use the positive-exponent quantum Fourier transform convention already used in the concept article. The amplitude of first-register value isBy the root-of-unity filter, the inner sum vanishes unless . DefineThe distinct give an orthonormal basis of the second register, and the transformed state isReindexing modulo showsConsequently measurement in this common eigenbasis returns each with probability ; the corresponding eigenvalue of is a uniformly sampled th root of unity. A single measured phase reveals the denominator , which need not be . Repeated samples permit exact period recovery from a Fourier sample, for example by taking the least common multiple of their reduced denominators. The simultaneous eigenspaces and their probabilities depend on , not on the particular labels .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ii Paper 3 15D b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
Changing the summation variable from to givesThus the quantum Fourier transform diagonalizes the cyclic shift.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 ib Paper 4 1E i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Let be the matrix unit with its only nonzero entry in row , column . Forone hasThereforeThe matrix units form an eigenbasis, with having eigenvalue . The zero eigenspace consists exactly of the diagonal matrices and has dimension . The rank-nullity theorem now gives
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 ii Paper 1 35D b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The parity of a wavefunction is its eigenvalue under spatial reflection: for even parity and for odd parity. If , the Hamiltonian commutes with reflection, so its energy eigenspaces admit a parity eigenbasis. In particular, every nondegenerate bound-state energy eigenfunction has definite parity; within a degenerate scattering eigenspace one must choose the even and odd linear combinations.
If the form the eigenbasis of , thenThe retained functional principal component scores are therefore uncorrelated with every omitted score, so . The least-squares estimates of are consistent despite truncation. Fixed still estimates only the projection ; consistency for the complete function requires the truncation level to increase and the tail error to vanish.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 324 1 b Solution Created 2026-09-25 Updated 2026-10-03
A shift-invariant basis is a common eigenbasis of all cyclic shift operators . For the displayed Fourier states, orthonormality follows from the root-of-unity filter:There are vectors in this orthonormal set in the -dimensional Hilbert space, so they form a basis. Reindexing the finite sum givesThus every is simultaneously an eigenvector of every shift, with eigenvalue for .
