34 problems found
\(ABCD\) is a horizontal line with \(AB=CD=a\) and \(BC=6a\). There are fixed smooth pegs at \(B\) and \(C\). A uniform string of natural length \(2a\) and modulus of elasticity \(kmg\) is stretched from \(A\) to \(D\), passing over the pegs at \(B\) and \(C\). A particle of mass \(m\) is attached to the midpoint \(P\) of the string. When the system is in equilibrium, \(P\) is a distance \(a/4\) below \(BC\). Evaluate \(k\). The particle is pulled down to a point \(Q\), which is at a distance \(pa\) below the mid-point of \(BC\), and is released from rest. \(P\) rises to a point \(R\), which is at a distance \(3a\) above \(BC\). Show that \(2p^2-p-17=0\). Show also that the tension in the strings is less when the particle is at \(R\) than when the particle is at \(Q\).
Let \(y=\cos\phi+\cos2\phi\), where \(\phi=\dfrac{2\pi}{5}.\) Verify by direct substitution that \(y\) satisfies the quadratic equation \(2y^{2}=3y+2\) and deduce that the value of \(y\) is \(-\frac{1}{2}.\) Let \(\theta=\dfrac{2\pi}{17}.\) Show that \[ \sum_{k=0}^{16}\cos k\theta=0. \] If \(z=\cos\theta+\cos2\theta+\cos4\theta+\cos8\theta,\) show that the value of \(z\) is \(-(1-\sqrt{17})/4\).
Solution: Note that \(\cos 4 \phi = \cos \phi, \cos 3 \phi = \cos 2 \phi\) \begin{align*} && LHS & = 2y^2 \\ &&&= 2 \left ( \cos \phi + \cos 2 \phi \right)^2 \\ &&&= 2 \cos ^2 \phi + 2 \cos^2 2 \phi + 4 \cos \phi \cos 2 \phi \\ &&&= \cos 2 \phi+1+ \cos4 \phi+1+2 \left ( \cos \phi + \cos 3 \phi \right) \\ &&&= \cos 2 \phi + 2 + \cos \phi + 2 \cos \phi + 2 \cos 2 \phi \\ &&&= 3(\cos \phi + \cos 2 \phi) + 2 \\ &&&= 3 y + 2 \\ &&&= RHS \end{align*} Therefore \(y\) satisfies \(2y^2 = 3y+2\), which we can solve: \begin{align*} && 0 &= 2y^2-3y-2 \\ &&&= (2y+1)(y-2) \\ \Rightarrow && y &= -\frac12,2 \end{align*} Since \(\cos \phi \neq 1\), \(y \neq 2\), therefore \(y = -\frac12\). \begin{align*} && \sum_{k=0}^{16} \cos k \theta &= \sum_{k=0}^{17} \textrm{Re} \left ( e^{ k \theta i} \right ) \\ &&&= \textrm{Re} \left ( \sum_{k=0}^{16}e^{ k \theta i} \right ) \\ &&&= \textrm{Re} \left ( \frac{1-e^{17 \theta i}}{1-e^{i \theta}} \right ) \\ &&&= 0 \end{align*} Suppose \(z = \cos \theta + \cos 2 \theta + \cos 4 \theta + \cos 8 \theta\) \begin{align*} z^2 &= \left (\cos \theta + \cos 2 \theta + \cos 4 \theta + \cos 8 \theta \right)^2 \\ &= \cos^2 \theta + \cos^2 2 \theta + \cos^2 4 \theta + \cos^2 8 \theta \\ & \quad \quad 2( \cos \theta \cos 2 \theta + \cos \theta \cos 4 \theta + \cos \theta \cos 8 \theta + \\ & \quad \quad \quad \cos 2 \theta \cos 4 \theta + \cos 2 \theta \cos 8 \theta + \cos 4 \theta \cos 8 \theta) \\ &= \frac12 \left (\cos 2 \theta + 1+ \cos 4 \theta + 1 + \cos 8 \theta + 1 + \cos 16 \theta + 1 \right ) + \\ &\quad \quad ( \cos \theta + \cos 3 \theta + \cos 3 \theta + \cos 5 \theta + \cos 7 \theta + \cos 9 \theta + \\ & \quad \quad \quad \cos 2 \theta + \cos 6 \theta + \cos 6 \theta + \cos 10 \theta +\cos 4 \theta + \cos 12 \theta ) \\ &= \frac12 z + 2 + \\ & \quad \quad ( \cos 3 \theta + \cos 6 \theta - \cos 8 \theta - \cos 11 \theta \\ & \quad \quad \quad - \cos 13 \theta - \cos 14 \theta - \cos 15 \theta - \cos 16 \theta - 1) \\ &= \frac12 z + 1 - z \\ &= -\frac12 z +1 \end{align*} Therefore \(z\) satisfies \(z^2=-\frac12 z+1 \Rightarrow z = \frac{-\frac12 \pm \sqrt{\frac14+4}}{2} = \frac{-1 \pm \sqrt{17}}{4}\) Therefore \(z = \frac{\sqrt{17}-1}{4}\) since \(z > 0\)
Solve the quadratic equation \(u^{2}+2u\sinh x-1=0\), giving \(u\) in terms of \(x\). Find the solution of the differential equation \[ \left(\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}\right)^{2}+2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}\sinh x-1=0 \] which satisfies \(y=0\) and \(y'>0\) at \(x=0\). Find the solution of the differential equation \[ \sinh x\left(\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}\right)^{2}+2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}-\sinh x=0 \] which satisfies \(y=0\) at \(x=0\).
Solution: \begin{align*} && 0 &= u^2 + 2u \sinh x -1 \\ &&&= u^2 + u(e^x-e^{-x})-e^{x}e^{-x} \\ &&&= (u-e^{-x})(u+e^x) \\ \Rightarrow && u &= e^{-x}, -e^x \end{align*} \begin{align*} && 0 &= \left(\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}\right)^{2}+2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}\sinh x-1 \\ \Rightarrow && \frac{\d y}{\d x} &= e^{-x}, -e^x \\ \Rightarrow && y &= -e^{-x}+C, -e^x+C \\ y(0) = 0: && C &= 1\text{ both cases } \\ y'(0) > 0: && y &= 1-e^{-x} \end{align*} \begin{align*} && 0 &= \sinh x u^2 + 2u -\sinh x \\ \Rightarrow && u &= \frac{-2 \pm \sqrt{4+4\sinh^2 x}}{2\sinh x} \\ &&&= \frac{-1 \pm \cosh x}{\sinh x} = - \textrm{cosech }x \pm \textrm{coth}x \\ \\ && 0 &= \sinh x\left(\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}\right)^{2}+2\frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x}-\sinh x \\ \Rightarrow && \frac{\d y}{\d x} &= - \textrm{cosech }x \pm \textrm{coth}x \\ \Rightarrow && y &= -\ln \left ( \tanh \frac{x}{2} \right) \pm \ln \sinh x+C \end{align*} For \(x \to 0\) to be defined, we need \(+\), so \begin{align*} && y &= \ln \left (\frac{\sinh x}{\tanh \frac{x}{2}} \right) + C \\ && y &= \ln \left (\frac{2\sinh \frac{x}{2} \cosh \frac{x}{2}}{\tanh \frac{x}{2}} \right)+C \\ &&&= \ln \left (2 \cosh^2 x \right) + C \\ y(0) = 0: && 0 &= \ln 2+C \\ \Rightarrow && y &= \ln(2 \cosh^2 x) -\ln 2 \\ && y &= 2 \ln (\cosh x) \end{align*}
Find the probability that the quadratic equation \[ X^{2}+2BX+1=0 \] has real roots when \(B\) is normally distributed with zero mean and unit variance. Given that the two roots \(X_{1}\) and \(X_{2}\) are real, find:
Solution: The roots are \(X_1, X_2 = -B \pm \sqrt{B^2-1}\)