Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2012 / iii / Paper 58 / Section I / i / Solution

Use metric signature $(-,+,+,+)$ and a future-oriented worldline. Variation of the worldline einbein gives the mass-shell condition; variation of momentum givesEliminating $p$ first leaves $L={\dot{x}}^2/(2e)-e{m}^2/2$. Its $e$ equation is ${\dot{x}}^2=-e^2{m}^2$. Choose the positive lapse branch $e=\sqrt{-{\dot{x}}^2}/m$; substituting gives $L=-m\sqrt{-{\dot{x}}^2}$. Thus $\boxed{S=-m\int \sqrt{-g_{\mu \nu }d{x}^{\mu }d{x}^{\nu }}=-m\int d\tau }$, the proper time action. The lapse branch fixes the sign convention. Eliminating auxiliary variables on their algebraic equations preserves the worldline equations, which are timelike geodesics up to parametrization.