Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2020 / ii / Paper 1 / 14E / i / Solution

Put $y(x)=w(z)$ with $z={\sin }^{2}x$. The chain rule givesand henceAfter substitution and division by $4z(1-z)$, the ordinary differential equation becomesComparison with the Gauss hypergeometric equation gives, up to interchanging $A$ and $B$,

At $z=0$ and $z=1$, the coefficient of $w^{\prime }$ has at most a simple pole and that of $w$ has at most a double pole, so both are regular singular points. The regular singular point at infinity criterion gives the same conclusion at infinity. The corresponding Papperitz symbol isIndeed, the exponent pairs are $(0,1-C)=(0,1/2)$ at zero, $(0,C-A-B)=(0,1/2)$ at one, and $(A,B)=(k/2,-k/2)$ at infinity; their sum also satisfies the Fuchs relation.