For fixed positive integer period , integer-valued periodic functions on are in bijection with and hence form a countable set. Their union over periods is a countable union of countable sets. In contrast, period-one integer-valued functions on can prescribe arbitrary binary values on its infinitely many distinct classes modulo . The power set of a countably infinite set injects into them, proving uncountability.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2003 ia Paper 4 5C Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 29 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
A precise useful form of the principle is the type I–type II inverse principle for Möbius correlation. Normalize , and supposeFor any positive integer cutoffs with , defineThen , where is the divisor function, and at least one of the following two sums has modulus at least :The first is correlation against a controlled linear combination of indicators of multiples of small moduli, each a periodic function: this is the “somewhat periodic” branch. The second is a bilinear sum with independently weighted factors, both larger than the cutoffs: this is the “somewhat multiplicative” branch. The statement concerns these precise correlations, not an assertion that must itself be periodic or multiplicative.
For clarity, the Vaughan identity for the Möbius function proves this version immediately. Split and likewise at . Since ,Multiply by and sum. The first two terms contribute at most in modulus, and the remaining terms are . The triangle inequality gives the stated dichotomy. It is valid at finite and for any chosen cutoffs in the indicated range.
We now prove the required orthogonality without appealing to a stronger uniform exponential-sum theorem. Write and . The Diophantine bound for the square root of two iswhere is distance to the nearest integer. If is that nearest integer, then , while ; dividing proves the bound.
Use the preceding Dirichlet convolution identity with . The two short terms are . For the type I sum, the exponential geometric sum bound givesConsequentlyusing from counting factor pairs.
For the type II sum, perform a dyadic decomposition into , , keeping . Nonempty blocks have , while . A block satisfies, by the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality and the divisor-square summatory bound,To justify the cutoff, after expanding the square the permissible for a pair still form an interval, with upper endpoint . Its exponential sum has the same geometric bound. Diagonal pairs supply ; for each nonzero difference there are pairs.
The points modulo one are separated by at least . Counting points in consecutive distance bands around zero therefore givesSubstitution yields the bilinear cancellation for badly approximable phases estimateThere are blocks, so . The divisor-square bound itself can be obtained elementarily from prime-power by prime-power and ; no uncontrolled coefficient bound is being suppressed.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2013 ia Paper 4 7E ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-07
For the cardinality of integer-periodic function spaces, fix a positive period first. A periodic function with that period is completely and uniquely determined by its values at , so this class is in bijection with . The integers are a countable set, and repeated pairing shows that a finite Cartesian product of countable sets is countable. Taking the union over positive and using the countable union of countable sets proves that the integer-domain periodic functions form a countable set.
For the rational domain, even period one leaves infinitely many independent choices. Let for ; these are distinct members of . For every subset , defineThe fractional part is unchanged by adding one, so is an integer-valued periodic function on . Distinct subsets give distinct functions because records whether . Thus the uncountable power set of injects into these functions. The rational-domain periodic functions form an uncountable set. The difference is that has only finitely many residue classes modulo a fixed integer period, whereas has infinitely many.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 137 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Use the Fourier transform normalization . A precise version of the Poisson summation formula is that, for every Schwartz function ,Both series have absolute convergence. Here being a Schwartz function means being smooth with for all nonnegative integers . This hypothesis makes the sums and the termwise operations below legitimate; the formula is not being asserted for arbitrary integrable functions.
Form the periodization of a Schwartz function . Every differentiated series has uniform convergence on , by rapid decay, so is a smooth periodic function of period one. Its th Fourier coefficient isThe interchange follows from absolute convergence uniformly on this interval. Integration by parts shows that these Fourier coefficients decrease faster than every inverse power of . Thus the Fourier series converges absolutely and uniformly to ; for example the standard convergence theorem for twice continuously differentiable periodic functions applies. Evaluating at zero proves the Poisson summation formula.
For , scaling the given Gaussian Fourier transform givesApplying the Poisson summation formula gives the real-parameter Jacobi theta function transformation
For , termwise application of the Mellin transform is justified by integrating absolute values and givesEach positive contributes , and the factor one half removes the equal positive and negative terms. This is the Mellin representation of the completed Riemann zeta function.
Split the integral at one. On , the Jacobi theta function transformation writes . Integrating the first two terms and substituting in the third yields the pole-subtracted theta integral for the completed zeta function:The remaining integral is an entire function of : , and on each compact set of this exponential dominates all powers of and all factors arising from differentiation. It therefore supplies a meromorphic continuation of to the whole plane, with simple poles at one and zero, of residues and , respectively. Its expression is unchanged by .
The reciprocal Gamma function is entire, with simple zeros at its nonpositive integer arguments. Consequentlyis holomorphic everywhere except for a simple pole at , of residue one. The apparent pole at cancels; in fact gives . This proves the analytic continuation of the Riemann zeta function. The completed functional equation of the Riemann zeta function isThese are equalities of meromorphic functions; at apparent singularities they are interpreted by continuation. Equivalently, is an entire function with .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ia Paper 1 9D b iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
Differentiation givesThe initial conditions set the constant to one, sothe Pythagorean trigonometric identity.
Since , Taylor theorem with Lagrange remainder givesfor some , whilefor some . The intermediate value theorem supplies with . The sine addition formula gives . The analogous cosine addition formula gives , soThus is a periodic function.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 115 4 c Solution 2026-09-28
The vertical tangent space of the trivial principal -bundle is spanned by . Sinceprojects isomorphically onto the tangent space of , it is always complementary to the vertical direction. It is the horizontal distribution of a principal connection precisely when it is invariant under the principal translations . The horizontal lifts of and are unique, so this invariance is equivalent toThe functions must also be smooth and periodic in , as is already required for them to be functions on the cylinder.
Under these conditions the connection form isIt sends to , is translation-invariant, and has kernel , proving sufficiency as well. Since the structure group is abelian, the bracket term vanishes and
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ib Paper 2 14A a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Apply separation of variables to the Laplace equation in polar coordinates by writing . Division by givesThe requirement that be a real -periodic function restricts the separation constants to , with angular factors and . For , the radial ordinary differential equation is an Euler equation with solutions and . For the zero mode, is constant andso . By linearity, superposition givesThis is the separated expansion of a harmonic function in a circular region.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 336 1 a Solution 2026-09-28
The chain rule andgiveApplying the same rule to and in the Euler-Lagrange field equation yields the exact modulated equation
Multiply this equation by . Since and are independent of the fast phase,The product rule then rearranges the field equation into the exact modulated-wave first integralAverage this identity over one period in . Periodicity kills the first term, while differentiation of the averaged Lagrangian givesConsequently
The same two equations follow directly from the modulated variational principle. Varying giveswhich is the exact field equation above. For a variation of , use and . Integration by parts in and gives the averaged equation. Thus variation with respect to the periodic profile reproduces the local wave equation, whereas variation with respect to its slow phase gives the Whitham modulation equation for wave action.
Period average Created 2026-10-06 Updated 2026-10-07
For an integrable periodic function with period , its period average is , independent of . In particular a sinusoidal square has period average .
Periodization of a Schwartz function 2026-10-05
For a Schwartz function on the real numbers, its periodization is a smooth periodic function of period one. Rapid decay gives uniform convergence on of the series and each differentiated series. Under the Fourier transform convention , its th Fourier coefficient is : integrate termwise over one period and combine the translated intervals. The rapidly decreasing coefficients give a Fourier series with uniform convergence. Evaluation at zero proves the Poisson summation formula.
Plus polarization Created 2026-09-28 Updated 2026-10-06
A gravitational wave of plus polarization has opposite transverse strain or geodesic deviation eigenvalues along two fixed perpendicular axes. For a sinusoidal periodic function profile, the stretching and compressing roles alternate every half-period.
Triangular wave 2026-10-06
A triangular wave is a continuous piecewise linear periodic function whose slope alternates between two values. The even -periodic extension of from is for . Its Fourier cosine series contains a constant term and odd modes with coefficients proportional to the inverse square of the mode number. Such extensions describe reflection under Neumann boundary conditions.