Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 4 1G Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
The Jordan normal form theorem says that every complex square matrix is similar to a direct sum of Jordan blocks, uniquely up to their order. For an eigenvalue , if its blocks have sizes , then its algebraic multiplicity and geometric multiplicity areand its contribution to the minimal polynomial is . Thuswhere is the largest -block size.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 4 7H a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
With states ordered as and rows representing the current state, the Markov chain has transition matrix
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 4 8G a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Two matrices are equivalent when for invertible matrices and of the appropriate sizes. A change of basis in the codomain multiplies a matrix on the left, while a change of basis in the domain multiplies it on the right. Hence two matrices of the same linear map in two pairs of bases are equivalent.
Conversely, start with the map having matrix in the standard bases. Given , choose domain and codomain bases whose change-of-coordinate matrices produce and ; then represents the same map in those bases. This proves the equivalence.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 4 8G b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
For , the independent vectors lie in the coordinate subspace supported onwhich has dimension . Hence , and the stated form of Hall marriage theorem gives an injection with .
Let be the matrix whose th column is . Its column rank is . By equality of row and column rank, it has linearly independent rows. Let be their indices. The submatrix is invertible, so its columns are independent. Those columns are exactly the nonzero coordinates of , and therefore these truncated vectors are linearly independent.
Expanding gives a permutation for whichThus . Finally, order the coordinates with first. The matrix whose columns are the together with the for is block triangular, with diagonal blocks and an identity matrix. Its determinant is nonzero. Consequentlyis a basis of . This is the simultaneous basis exchange from a nonzero minor.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 13L b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 26J d Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The inverse first-fundamental-form matrix isThus vanishes exactly whenThis is the minimal surface equation for a graph.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 28K b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The Markov property at deterministic times givesThus is a discrete-time Markov chain with transition matrixwhen the minimal chain is nonexplosive, .
For an irreducible chain, state is recurrent in continuous time exactly whenand it is recurrent for the skeleton exactly when . If , the event of staying at suppliesIntegrating over each interval shows that the integral diverges exactly when the series does. Irreducibility then makes recurrence equivalent for the two chains. This is recurrence equivalence for a CTMC and its fixed-time skeleton.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 28K c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 30L c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Let be the state-by-asset matrix of discounted gains and identify with its state vector. Fix . If , , and , thenbelongs to . The assumption and passage to the limit imply for every nonnegative .
The finite-state superhedging alternative now gives withThis residual cannot vanish identically, since then every would have . Hence it is strictly positive in at least one state, which has positive physical probability. This is the required inequality.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 32A b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
For the Fibonacci transition matrix above,where is the th Lucas number. It counts closed symbolic itineraries of length . Since is prime, the itineraries fixed by the seventh shift have least period either or . Hence the number of cyclic classes of primitive length-seven itineraries isDistinct primitive cyclic itineraries give distinct cycles, so has at least four distinct -cycles. This is the fibonacci transition-graph cycle count.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 41A b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Expanding the numerical propagation matrix,Its difference from isTherefore the one-step local truncation error isand the method is first-order accurate globally.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 41A b i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 2 11G Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
Put . The identityfollows by induction: multiplying the formula for by gives the two stated recurrences in the first column and in the second. The associated Möbius transformations , applied from the right to , show that the first-column ratio is the displayed positive generalized continued fraction.
Now set every . Taking determinants in the matrix identity givesConsequently adjacent convergents differ byThe recurrence and imply , so . The determinant signs show that the even convergents increase, the odd convergents decrease, and every even one is below every odd one. Their adjacent separation tends to zero, so both subsequences have a common limit . Since lies between each adjacent pair, the convergence of a positive simple continued fraction gives exactly
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 2 29L a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Let be the MLE and let be the one-observation Fisher information matrix. One standard form of the Wald statistic isAny consistent information estimator gives the same asymptotics. Under ,
. If
is the quantile of , reject whenThe asymptotic type-I error is .
. If
is the quantile of , reject whenThe asymptotic type-I error is .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 2 34C b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
By part (a), each lies in the same two-dimensional eigenspace. Reality and conjugacy again force the coefficient matrix to have the formBecause and hence are periodic, commutes with translation by . Applying it to
givesThe basis is independent, so the periodic KdV transfer matrix obeysTaking traces,Hence is independent of time.
givesThe basis is independent, so the periodic KdV transfer matrix obeysTaking traces,Hence is independent of time.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 2 34C b i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Translation by preserves the scattering equation, so it acts linearly on its two-dimensional solution space. Because is real and the initial conditions are conjugate,
, forcing the transfer matrix to have the formThe Wronskian of two solutions of
is independent of . Translation therefore preserves it, soConsequently
, forcing the transfer matrix to have the formThe Wronskian of two solutions of
is independent of . Translation therefore preserves it, soConsequently
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 2 35B a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
A density operator satisfiesAn Hermitian matrix has real parameters, and the trace condition removes one, leavingreal free parameters.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 2 36E c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The kinetic matrix is diagonal:For the linear potential,andThus, in units ,The lower eigenvalue gives the two-mode variational bound for a linearly tilted square well
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 3 10E a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
If the Schmidt rank is one, the decomposition is after absorbing its sole coefficient, so the state is a product. Conversely, a product state has coefficient matrix , which has rank one. Therefore a bipartite pure state is entangled exactly when its Schmidt rank is at least two.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 3 11F Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
The reduction map sends onto with kernel of order , so . More explicitly, the lifting-the-exponent calculationshows that has order modulo . Hence is cyclic of that order.