Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2011 / ia / Paper 2 / 8A (Differential Equations)

Rewrite the integrand as $\sqrt{1-t{\cos }^2\theta }$. The binomial series, uniformly valid in $\theta$ for $|t|$ bounded below one, givesThe integrals of $1,{\cos }^2\theta ,{\cos }^4\theta$ over a full period are respectively $2\pi ,\pi ,3\pi /4$. Termwise integration therefore yields the ellipse perimeter expansion near a circle

With $t=1-x^2$ the chain rule gives $y^{\prime }=-2x{u}^{\prime }$ and $y^{\prime \prime }=-2u^{\prime }+4x^2{u}^{\prime \prime }$. Substitution, initially for $x>0$, givesThe transformed coefficients are $P(t)=1/t$ and $Q(t)=1/[4t(1-t)]$. At $t=0$, both $tP$ and $t^{2}Q$ are analytic; at $t=1$, both $(t-1)P$ and $(t-1{)}^{2}Q$ are analytic. Each point is singular because a normalized coefficient has a pole, but satisfies the regular singular point criterion for a second-order equation. Thus both points are regular singular points.

For a Frobenius method substitution $u=t^{\rho }{\sum }_{n\ge 0}{a}_n{t}^n$, the lowest power gives the indicial equationThe repeated indicial root is zero. Setting $\rho =0$ and equating the coefficient of $t^n$ givesConsequently the analytic power-series solution of a differential equation isTaking $a_0=2\pi$ reproduces the ellipse perimeter expansion.

For a second independent solution, normalize $u_1(0)=1$. Reduction of order and $P=1/t$ giveSince $u_1(s{)}^{-2}=1+O(s)$, this has the Logarithmic Frobenius solution formThe logarithm is $\log |t|$ on the real negative side, or a chosen complex logarithm on a slit complex neighborhood. Its nonzero logarithmic coefficient establishes independence. The physical perimeter is finite at $t=0$, so it selects the analytic branch rather than this logarithmic one.