Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / ia / Paper 2 / 7C / Solution

Assume the usual continuous-coefficient setting for a second-order linear differential equation. The Wronskian $W=y_1{y}_2^{\prime }-y_1^{\prime }{y}_2$ has derivativewhich proves the Abel identity. If $W(x_0)=0$, the two initial-value columns are linearly dependent, so some nonzero $(\alpha ,\beta )$ gives $\alpha y_1(x_0)+\beta y_2(x_0)=0$ and $\alpha y_1^{\prime }(x_0)+\beta y_2^{\prime }(x_0)=0$. The uniqueness theorem for ordinary differential equations makes that linear combination identically zero. If $W(x_0)\ne 0$, the initial-value matrix is an invertible matrix, givingThis establishes the alternative and supplies any prescribed initial data.

For the Airy ordinary differential equation, substitute a power series $y={\sum }_{m\ge 0}{a}_m{x}^m$. Coefficient comparison gives $a_2=0$ andChoose $(a_0,a_1)=(1,0)$ and $(0,1)$. The Airy power-series fundamental pair isEmpty products mean one. Their first terms are $y_1=1+x^3/6+x^6/180+\cdots$ and $y_2=x+x^4/12+x^7/504+\cdots$. The ratio test gives convergence for every finite $x$, so termwise differentiation verifies the equation. Their Wronskian is one at zero, and hence everywhere because $p=0$. Thus every solution is $A{y}_1+B{y}_2$.