Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 2 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2007 / Paper 1 / 7 / i / Solution

Multiply the equation for $y_n$ by $y_m$ and the equation for $y_m$ by $y_n$, then subtract. The common $h$ terms cancel, and integration by parts gives the Lagrange identity for a Sturm-Liouville operator:At each endpoint the two pairs $(y_n^{\prime },y_n)$ and $(y_m^{\prime },y_m)$ satisfy the same nontrivial homogeneous linear equation. They therefore lie on the same one-dimensional line, and their determinant vanishes. The boundary expression is zero. Since the eigenvalues are distinct, division gives the required orthogonality of Sturm-Liouville eigenfunctions:For complex-valued eigenfunctions of a real self-adjoint problem one may choose real eigenfunctions, or use the conjugated version as a weighted inner product.