Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / ii / Paper 2 / 13E (Classical Dynamics)

Let $\mathbf{r}$ be position relative to the center of mass, and let the new origin have vector $\mathbf{c}$ relative to it. The inertia tensor about this origin isExpanding and using $\int \mathbf{r}dm=0$ proves the tensor form of the parallel axis theorem:For a uniform cube of side $L$ and mass $M$, centered coordinate integrals give $I_0=(M{L}^2/6)I$. The displacement to a vertex is $(L/2,L/2,L/2)$ up to signs. Using axes along its incident edges givesThe principal moments of inertia are $\boxed{M{L}^2/6,11M{L}^2/12,11M{L}^2/12}$. The first principal axis is the body diagonal through the vertex; every direction perpendicular to it has the repeated moment.