MTH 421A

Assignment
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1. Consider the boundary value problem x2 y + xy + λy = 0, 1 < x < e, y(1) = 0,
y(e) = 0. Show that the problem is equivalent to the Strum-Liouville problem

′ ′ λ
(xy ) + y = 0, 1 < x < e, y(1) = 0 = y(e). (1)
x
Verify that for (1) the eigenvalues are λn = n2 π 2 , n = 1, 2, 3, ... Z
and the corresponding
e
1
eigenfunctions are φn (x) = sin(nπ ln x). Further show that φm (x)φn (x)dx =
 1 x
0, m 6= n
.
1/2, m = n

2. Obtain the formal expansion of the function f (x) = 1 (1 ≤ x ≤ eπ ), in a se-

riesof orthonormal
 characteristic functions {φn (x)} of the Strum-Liouville problem
d dy λ
x + y = 0, y(1) = 0 = y(eπ ).
dx dx x
3. Obtain the formal expansion of the function f (x) = ln x (1 ≤ x ≤ e2π ), in a se-
riesof orthonormal
 characteristic functions {φn (x)} of the Strum-Liouville problem
d dy λ ′ ′
x + y = 0, y (1) = 0 = y (e2π ) where λ ≥ 0.
dx dx x
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4. Show that the eigenvalues
√ for the BVP
√ x + λx = 0, x(0) = 0 and x(π) + x (π) = 0
satisfy the
√ equation λ = − tan(π λ). Prove that the corresponding eigenfunctions
are sin(t λn ) where λn is an eigenvalue.
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5. Find the Green’s function for the problem y − y = 0, y(0) = y(1) = 0. Hence solve
′′
the boundary value problem y − y = 1 + x, y(0) = y(1) = 0.
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6. Construct a Green’s function for the BVP x = 0, a0 x(α) + a1 x (α) = 0, b0 x(β) +
′
b1 x (β) = 0.
( t(1−x2 )
(1+t2 )2
,0 ≤ t ≤ x
7. Verify that G(x, t) = x(1−t2 ) is a suitable Green’s function for the BVP
2
(1+t ) 2 , x ≤ t ≤ 1
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(x2 + 1)y − 2xy + 2y = 0, y(0) = 0 = y(1).

8. Show that the solution of the BVP y − x1 y = r(x), y(0) = 0 = y(1) can be written as
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R1
y(x) = 0 G(x, t)r(t)dt, where
(
−(1−t2 )x2
2t
,x ≤ t
G(x, t) = −(1−x2 )t .
2
,x ≥ t