Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 2 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2013 / Paper 1 / 3 / i / Solution

The substitution $y=e^{x}g$ reduces the homogeneous linear differential equation toA first integration gives $g^{\prime }=Cx{e}^{-x}$, and a second gives $g=D-C(x+1)e^{-x}$. HenceThe Wronskian of $1+x,e^x$ is $x{e}^x$, so they are linearly independent on either side of zero. At zero the differential equation has a regular singular point. The displayed solutions extend analytically through it; their linear combinations describe the global solutions when two continuous derivatives are required there. If no matching condition is imposed, the two sides have independent constants.