Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ii Paper 3 31E a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
- The fixed point is asymptotically stable if it is Lyapunov stable and there is a neighbourhood of such that as for every .
- Its domain of stability, or basin of attraction, is , with forward existence understood.
- A Lyapunov function on a neighbourhood of is a continuous function , differentiable away from the origin, such that , for , and its orbital derivative
The First Lyapunov theorem says that the existence of such a function makes the origin Lyapunov stable. To prove it, choose a sufficiently small closed ball . By compactness and positive definiteness,By continuity, some satisfies whenever . Along a trajectory beginning in , cannot increase. Such a trajectory therefore cannot reach the sphere , where . Hence it remains in for every , which is Lyapunov stability.
The LaSalle invariance principle says that if a trajectory remains in a compact positively invariant set on which , then it approaches the largest invariant subset of .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ii Paper 3 31E b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
Forthe orbital derivative isChoosing cancels the mixed term. Taking givessoThis function has positive definiteness near the origin, andFor and , both terms are nonpositive and equality holds only at . Thus is a strict Lyapunov function near the origin, and the Second Lyapunov theorem proves that the origin is asymptotically stable.