Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / ia / Paper 2 / 6A / Solution

With $\eta =x-t$ and $\xi =x+t$, the chain rule givesHenceso the wave equation is equivalent to $U_{\eta \xi }=0$. Integrating in each variable givesThe initial conditions implySolving and integrating yields the D'Alembert formula with initial velocity

If $|x-x_0|>r+t$, then both $x-t$ and $x+t$ lie outside the support interval $[x_0-r,x_0+r]$, and every point between them does as well. All three terms therefore vanish. Thuswhich is finite propagation speed.

For the finite string, differentiate its energy and use $y_{tt}=y_{xx}$:The fixed-end conditions hold for every $t$, so differentiation gives $y_t(0,t)=y_t(L,t)=0$. The boundary term vanishes and