Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 2 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2009 / Paper 2 / 3 / iii / Solution

Take the source at the origin and write ${\rho }^2=y^2+z^2$. Repeated reflection in $x=\pm 1$ places the sources at $(2n,0,0)$ with strengths $(-1{)}^n$, $n\in \mathbb{Z}$. There are countably infinitely many images; $n=0$ is the original source. A convergent prescription groups adjacent opposite charges:Each bracket is $O(|m{|}^{-2})$ on compact sets away from the source, so the paired series converges absolutely. The individual unsigned point-charge terms would not be absolutely summable. On $x=1$, reflection pairs the index $n$ with $1-n$; on $x=-1$, it pairs $n$ with $-1-n$. Their distances agree and signs oppose. Symmetric finite cutoffs leave only a vanishing far-tail contribution, proving both zero boundary values. All nonzero-index sources lie outside the slab. This is the centered-source version of the Dirichlet Green function between parallel planes, selected to decay at large transverse distance.