Past exam of the differential equations 2 course of the University of Oxford 2015 2 c Solution 2026-10-25
First classify nonzero polynomial solutions of the differential equation itself. If has degree and leading coefficient , the coefficient of is . Hence is necessary.
An analytic solution at zero belongs to the exponent-zero Frobenius branch. Its odd-power coefficients vanish, because and the recurrence relation preserves parity. For the even-power coefficients,All denominators are nonzero for . With , the coefficients through are nonzero when , the next coefficient vanishes, and every subsequent coefficient vanishes. This proves sufficiency as well as the restriction to even polynomial degree:For example, setting gives when , when , and when . A polynomial cannot instead begin with a positive integer power: its lowest power must have an indicial exponent, and the only integer indicial exponent is zero. This also proves that no odd-degree family was missed. The finite-series mechanism is a terminating Frobenius series.
If the additional endpoint conditions from part (b) are imposed on this part too, there is no nonzero polynomial solution: every nonzero polynomial just classified has . The displayed family and degree answer therefore concern the differential equation without those extra endpoint conditions.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ia Paper 2 7A b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
For positive integral , the exponent-zero linear recurrence relation fixes for , but at its factor vanishes and leaves free. Choose and . All later coefficients then vanish by the same linear recurrence relation.
A polynomial solution of degree isFor this is the constant solution , in agreement with the ordinary point exception. The terminating Frobenius series arises because the coefficient equation at the resonant index becomes , permitting truncation rather than forcing a logarithm.
At the smaller indicial root , the equation is : it leaves free. For , the valid recurrence isChoosing makes every later coefficient zero. The resulting terminating Frobenius series is thereforeSubstitution gives and ; the three terms in the equation sum to .
Termination is a permitted choice, not a condition forced on every smaller-root solution. Retaining the free adds the solution in part (e), so the general real solution on is . This is exactly the freedom explained by undetermined coefficient at Frobenius resonance. On either negative interval avoiding and , analogous real formulas use and .