Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 ia Paper 2 8B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 ia Paper 4 4B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 ii Paper 3 14E ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 ii Paper 3 14E i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 ii Paper 1 7D Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2011 ii Paper 1 7C Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 ia Paper 2 8B iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
The phase plane system is , . Its equilibrium points are for every integer . At such a point the Jacobian matrix and characteristic equation areFor even , the equilibrium point is a stable focus for , with eigenvalues ; it is a stable node for , with two distinct negative real eigenvalues. The excluded value gives the repeated critical case.
For odd , the eigenvalues are . One is positive and one negative, so each is a saddle equilibrium for every . These classifications follow from the linearization of a dynamical system, since all the relevant eigenvalues have nonzero real part for . The even equilibria remain hyperbolic at too, although their linearization then has a repeated eigenvalue; that critical case is excluded from the requested classification.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ii Paper 1 30A a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
The equilibrium equations are . For the fixed points are the origin, four axis points , and four diagonal points with independent signs and . The hypothesis ensures that is real. The Jacobian matrix has diagonal entries , and off-diagonal entries .
At the origin both eigenvalues are , so it is a stable node. At each axis point the eigenvalues are . At each diagonal point they are , along the radial and transverse diagonal directions respectively. ThusThe axes and diagonals are invariant lines. For the axis saddle points have stable directions transverse to their axes and unstable directions along them; the diagonal points are unstable nodes. For these roles switch: the diagonal saddle points have stable transverse directions and unstable radial directions, and the axis points are unstable nodes. Their stable manifolds separate trajectories attracted to the origin from outward-escaping trajectories. Symmetry gives the other quadrants.
For , the entire unit circle consists of equilibria. In polar coordinates and : every ray inside the circle moves toward the origin, and every ray outside moves outward. The circle has neutral tangential and unstable radial directions; its points are not isolated saddle points or unstable nodes.
All three phase portraits are shown below. The potential satisfies and , ruling out nonconstant periodic orbits. Blue curves show the saddle stable separatrices, integrated backwards from their local stable directions. The flow arrows and invariant lines, together with the equilibrium classification, specify the topology of the sketches.
Phase portraits and equilibrium branches
. Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ii Paper 1 31E ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
At an equilibrium point, and . If , the only equilibria areTheir Jacobian matrix isAt its eigenvalues are , and at they are . Hence for , is an unstable node and is a stable node; for , both points are saddles.
If , every point on each line and is an equilibrium. The line is transversely repelling because the nonzero eigenvalue is , while is transversely attracting because the nonzero eigenvalue is ; the tangential eigenvalue is zero on both nonisolated equilibrium lines.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 ii Paper 3 31A d Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
For small, has two negative eigenvalues and is a stable node. The two nearby equilibria satisfy and are saddles. Their stable and unstable separatrices form the local phase portrait; trajectories in the wedge between the stable manifolds approach , while trajectories crossing an unstable direction leave the neighbourhood.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 3 31A Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
At an equilibrium, the second equation gives . The first equation then givesHence the fixed-point branches in the plane areandThe three branches meet at . The branch meets the positive square-root branch again when , so the second bifurcation value is
The Jacobian matrix at a general point isOn the branch it is triangular, with eigenvaluesThus is unstable for , asymptotically stable for , and unstable for .
On a square-root branch write . Thenwhose trace is and determinant is . The negative branch is therefore a saddle equilibrium for every . The positive branch is a saddle for and asymptotically stable for ; close to it is a stable node.
To resolve the nonhyperbolic point at , make the prescribed substitutionand append . The equations becomeThe centre subspace is . Seek the extended centre manifold for a parameter asThe centre-manifold invariance equation isTo second order, , so comparison of coefficients givesand hence , . ThereforeSubstitution into the equation gives the reduced flowIts central branch is unstable for and stable for , while the two nonzero branches for are unstable. Thus the bifurcation at zero is a subcritical pitchfork bifurcation with reversed normal-form parameter , exactly as recorded by the extended centre manifold of the 2023 Cambridge quadratic-product system.
The complete bifurcation diagram is therefore as follows. For , only exists and is unstable. For , is stable while both and are saddles. For , is stable while and are saddles. At , and cross and exchange stability, so the bifurcation is transcritical. This gives the bifurcation diagram of the 2023 Cambridge quadratic-product system.
Finally consider the phase plane near with . If , the lower equilibrium is a stable node and the upper equilibrium is a saddle. If , the lower equilibrium is the stable node and the upper equilibrium is the saddle. In each case the saddle has one-dimensional stable and unstable manifolds; one unstable separatrix runs toward the nearby stable node, while the other runs out of the local neighbourhood. The two equilibrium branches and their local invariant manifolds exchange roles as passes through one, which is the standard local phase portrait of a transcritical bifurcation.
