Past exam of the approximation theory and finite element methods course of the University of Oxford / 2008 / B / 5 / a

The Sobolev space $H^1(0,1)$ consists of square-integrable functions whose weak first derivative is square-integrable, with norm $\Vert v{\Vert }_{H^1}^2={\int }_0^1(v^2+v^{\prime 2})$. Its one-dimensional representatives have well-defined endpoint traces.

Multiplying by $v\in H^1$ and integrating by parts givesThe two Robin conditions give $u^{\prime }(0)=u(0)$ and $u^{\prime }(1)=-u(1)$, so defineA weak solution is $u\in H^1(0,1)$ satisfying $a(u,v)=\ell (v)$ for every $v\in H^1(0,1)$. The boundary conditions are natural; no endpoint derivative is imposed in the trial space.

Since $\cos x\ge \cos 1>0$ on this interval,This proves coercivity on the full space. Trace continuity and Cauchy-Schwarz give continuity of the form, so the Lax-Milgram theorem also ensures a unique weak solution.