Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ib Paper 3 15A Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
Interpret the three conditions at zero as an initial-value problem on , with interior source . A causal Green function satisfies and vanishes for . Since the leading coefficient of the third derivative is one, the jump conditions for a third-order Green function require and continuous and to jump by one. For , the homogeneous roots are . Solving , yieldsFor it vanishes near zero, so all three initial boundary conditions hold. The matching conditions ensure that supplies precisely a Dirac delta, without unwanted delta derivatives.
The homogeneous solution carrying the nonzero initial data is . The Green-function representation therefore givesFor the integral vanishes. For , set and integrate to obtain . ThusThe bracket and its first two derivatives vanish at , so match continuously there; its third derivative jumps by the stated forcing. The value assigned to is immaterial. The source at the initial endpoint would need a separate endpoint-delta convention, which is not used in this integral.