Past exam of the year 1 of the computer science course of the University of Oxford / 2015 / Discrete mathematics, continuous mathematics, and probability / 4 / d

For $x\ne \pm 1$, write the linear ordinary differential equation asAn integrating factor on each interval avoiding $\pm 1$ is $\mu (x)=1/(1-x^2)$; multiplication by a nonzero constant, including a sign, is immaterial. ThereforeThe partial fraction decomposition isIntegrating gives the general solutionThe constant is independent on each connected interval of definition. At the singular points the undivided differential equation forces $y(1)=0$ and $y(-1)=1$. The displayed family tends to these values, but its derivative has a logarithmic divergence there, so no member extends as a differentiable function through either singular point.