Applied Math

Part A
This question uses the Divergence Theorem to prove thee Archimedes’ Principle.
1. Consider a vector field given by F~ (x, y, z) = f (x, y, z)~c where ~c is a constant vector and
f (x, y, z) is a scalar function. Use the Divergence Theorem to show that for a closed
surface S with unit outward normal ~n, and enclosing a volume V that
ZZ ZZZ
f~ndS = ∇f dV .
S V

2. Now consider a body of volume V with closed surface S in a static fluid of constant density
ρ. Assume that z is the vertical coordinate, which increases upwards. Then the pressure
in the fluid is given by p = p0 = ρgz where g is the magnitude of gravity and p0 is an
arbitrary constant. The force on the body due to buoyancy effects is
ZZ
~
F =− p~ndS,
S

where ~n is the outward pointing unit normal to V . Use the result of the last problem to
show that the buoyancy force on the body is F~ = W ~k where W is the weight of fluid
displaced by the body and ~k is the third canonical unit vector ~k = (0, 0, 1)T which is
parallel to the z-axis.

Part B
1. The Laplace transform of the function f (t) is denoted by L(f ) or F (s), namely
Z ∞
L(f ) = F (s) = e−st f (t)dt.
0

(a) Assume that f is differential. Prove that

L(f 0 ) = sF (s) − f (0), L(tf ) = −F 0 (s),

(b) Assume that the second derivative of f exists. Prove that

L(tf 0 ) = −F (s) − sF 0 (s), L(tf 00 ) = −2sF (s) − s2 F 0 (s) + f (0).

(c) Find L(e−t ), L(tn e−t )

(d) We define a sequence of functions by
et dn n −t
l0 = 1, ln = (t e ). n ≥ 1.
n! dtn
Please write the expressions of l1 , l2 , l3 . Than show that ln is a polynomial for every
integer n and find L(ln ).

2. Find the general solution to the ordinary differential equation

(s − s2 )Y 0 (s) + (n − s + 1)Y (s) = 0,

where n is an integer. (Hint: This is a separable equation, and (n + 1 − s)/(s − s2 ) =

n/(s − 1) − (n + 1)/s.)

1
 3. Now we use the Laplace transform to find the general solution to the Laguerre’s equation

ty 00 (t) + (1 − t)y 0 (t) + ny(t) = 0,

where n is an integer.

Part C

1. Solve some ordinary differential equations.

(a) Find the general solution of the differential equation

3y 0 − y 4 = 0 .

(b) Find the particular solution to the initial problem

y 00 + 3y 0 = 0, with y(0) = 1, y 0 (0) = A ,

where A is a known constant.

(c) Find the general solution to the following second order non-homogeneous equaion

y 00 + 3y 0 = f (x)4 , with f (x) = A(e−3x − 1) + 1,

where A is a known constant.

2. We consider the differential equation with a small positive parameter 

 00
y + 3y 0 − y 4 = 0 ,
(1)
y(0) = y(1) = 1 .

It is known that this initial problem has a boundary layer at x = 0. We try to find a
composite expansion.

(a) Use the regular expansion method to construct a second term approximation of the
outer solution. (Hint: Use the expansion y = y0 + α y1 + · · · and the boundary
condition y(1) = 1. Find y0 and y1 .)
(b) Introduce a boundary layer coordinate x̄ = x/γ , and set Y (x̄) = y(x), then find a
consistent value of γ and obtain the equation satisfied by Y (x̄).
(c) Use the regular expansion method to construct a second term approximation of the
solution Y (x̄). (Hint: Find Y0 and Y1 )
(d) Match the outer solution and the inner solution and then construct a composite
expansion of first term approximation to the solution of (1). (Hint: use y0 and Y0 to
construct the expansion.)