Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Oxford / 2015 / Prelims / Mathematics V resit / Question 4 / b

A steady state has $T_s^{\prime \prime }=0$, so $T_s=a+bx$. The fixed temperature gives $T_s(0)=T_0$, and thermal insulation gives $T_s^{\prime }(L)=0$. ThusSubtracting this steady state produces the homogeneous mixed boundary conditionsThe partial differential equation and boundary conditions apply for $t>0$. The initial condition is attained as $t\downarrow 0$. Its slope at $x=L$ is $-T_0/L$, so it does not satisfy the insulated-end condition at the instant $t=0$. The resulting heat equation solution is smooth for $t>0$ and approaches the initial temperature continuously; its spatial derivative need not be continuous at $(L,0)$.