Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 2 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / Paper 1 / 3 / c / Solution

Using the causal Green's function,Put $\xi =xs$. Since $\alpha >-5$ is equivalent to $r<3$, the improper integral converges and givesThe elementary identity ${\int }_0^1{s}^{p-1}(-\log s)ds=1/p^2$ follows by differentiating ${\int }_0^1{s}^{p-1}ds=1/p$ for $p>0$. Direct substitution checks $L(x^3)=(\alpha +5{)}^{2}x/4$, and the displayed solution and its first derivative vanish at zero.

To give all solutions allowed by the printed boundary conditions, retain the singular-endpoint qualification from part (b):Thus the causal integral gives a particular member of a two-parameter family in the first range and the unique solution in the second.