Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 2 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / Paper 1 / 3 / a / Solution

For the Green function of $D_x^2-1$, the homogeneous solutions satisfying the left and right endpoint conditions are $u(x)=\sinh x$ and $v(x)=\sinh (1-x)$. Their Wronskian isContinuity of the kernel at $x=\xi$ and integration of $G_{xx}-G=\delta (x-\xi )$ require $[G_x{]}_{\xi -}^{\xi +}=1$. Hence the Dirichlet modified Helmholtz Green function on an interval isHere $x_{<}=\min (x,\xi )$ and $x_{>}=\max (x,\xi )$. The negative sign is essential for this operator convention. Integrating the forcing against the kernel givesThis satisfies both endpoint conditions. It solves the equation classically for continuous $f$, and in the corresponding weak sense for integrable forcing. A homogeneous difference satisfying both endpoint conditions must vanish, so the solution is unique.