Solution:
Solution:
An operator \(\rm D\) is defined, for any function \(\f\), by \[ {\rm D}\f(x) = x\frac{\d\f(x)}{\d x} .\] The notation \({\rm D}^n\) means that \(\rm D\) is applied \(n\) times; for example \[ \displaystyle {\rm D}^2\f(x) = x\frac{\d\ }{\d x}\left( x\frac{\d\f(x)}{\d x} \right) \,. \] Show that, for any constant \(a\), \({\rm D}^2 x^a = a^2 x^a\,\).
Solution: \begin{align*} {\mathrm D}^2 x^a &= x\frac{\d\ }{\d x}\left( x\frac{\d}{\d x} \left ( x^a \right) \right) \\ &= x\frac{\d\ }{\d x}\left( ax^a \right) \\ &= a^2 x^a \end{align*}
Solution:
A particle \(P\) of mass \(m\) moves on a smooth fixed straight horizontal rail and is attached to a fixed peg \(Q\) by a light elastic string of natural length \(a\) and modulus \(\lambda\). The peg \(Q\) is a distance \(a\) from the rail. Initially \(P\) is at rest with \(PQ=a\). An impulse imparts to \(P\) a speed \(v\) along the rail. Let \(x\) be the displacement at time \(t\) of \(P\) from its initial position. Obtain the equation \[ \dot x^2 = v^2 - k^2 \left( \sqrt{x^2+a^2} -a\right)^{\!2} \] where \( k^2 = \lambda/(ma)\), \(k>0\) and the dot denotes differentiation with respect to \(t\). Find, in terms of \(k\), \(a\) and \(v\), the greatest value, \(x_0\), attained by \(x\). Find also the acceleration of \(P\) at \(x=x_0\). Obtain, in the form of an integral, an expression for the period of the motion. Show that in the case \(v\ll ka\) (that is, \(v\) is much less than \(ka\)), this is approximately \[ \sqrt {\frac {32a}{kv}} \int_0^1 \frac 1 {\sqrt{1-u^4}} \, \d u \, . \]
A light rod of length \(2a\) has a particle of mass \(m\) attached to each end and it moves in a vertical plane. The midpoint of the rod has coordinates \((x,y)\), where the \(x\)-axis is horizontal (within the plane of motion) and \(y\) is the height above a horizontal table. Initially, the rod is vertical, and at time \(t\) later it is inclined at an angle \(\theta\) to the vertical. Show that the velocity of one particle can be written in the form \[ \begin{pmatrix} \dot x + a \dot\theta \cos\theta \\ \dot y - a \dot\theta \sin\theta \end{pmatrix} \] and that \[ m\begin{pmatrix} \ddot x + a\ddot\theta \cos\theta - a \dot\theta^2 \sin\theta \\ \ddot y- a\ddot\theta \sin\theta - a \dot\theta^2 \cos\theta \end{pmatrix} =-T\begin{pmatrix} \sin\theta \\ \cos\theta \end{pmatrix} -mg \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} \] where the dots denote differentiation with respect to time \(t\) and \(T\) is the tension in the rod. Obtain the corresponding equations for the other particle. Deduce that \(\ddot x =0\), \(\ddot y = -g\) and \(\ddot\theta =0\). Initially, the midpoint of the rod is a height \(h\) above the table, the velocity of the higher particle is \(\Big(\begin{matrix} \, u \, \\ v \end{matrix}\Big)\), and the velocity of the lower particle is \(\Big(\begin{matrix}\, 0 \, \\ v\end{matrix}\Big)\). Given that the two particles hit the table for the first time simultaneously, when the rod has rotated by \(\frac12\pi\), show that \[ 2hu^2 = \pi^2a^2 g - 2\pi uva \,. \]
Solution:
A 6-sided fair die has the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 on its faces. The die is thrown \(n\) times, the outcome (the number on the top face) of each throw being independent of the outcome of any other throw. The random variable \(S_n\) is the sum of the outcomes.
Solution:
Each of the two independent random variables \(X\) and \(Y\) is uniformly distributed on the interval~\([0,1]\).
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