← 2019 Paper 1

UPSC 2019 Maths Optional Paper 1 Q4c-i — Step-by-Step Solution

12 marks · Section A

Partial derivatives · Calculus · asked 8× in 13 yrs · Read the full method →

Question

If u=sin1x1/3+y1/3x1/2+y1/2u=\sin^{-1}\sqrt{\dfrac{x^{1/3}+y^{1/3}}{x^{1/2}+y^{1/2}}} then show that sin2u\sin^2 u is a homogeneous function of xx and yy of degree 16-\dfrac{1}{6}. Hence show that x22ux2+2xy2uxy+y22uy2=tanu12(1312+tan2u12).x^2\dfrac{\partial^2 u}{\partial x^2}+2xy\dfrac{\partial^2 u}{\partial x\partial y}+y^2\dfrac{\partial^2 u}{\partial y^2}=\dfrac{\tan u}{12}\left(\dfrac{13}{12}+\dfrac{\tan^2 u}{12}\right).

Technique

Show sin2u\sin^2u (not uu) is homogeneous of degree 16-\tfrac16; apply Euler’s first-order theorem with the chain vx=sin2uuxv_x=\sin2u\,u_x to get xux+yuy=g(u)=n2tanuxu_x+yu_y=g(u)=\tfrac n2\tan u; then the second-order Euler identity x2uxx+2xyuxy+y2uyy=g(u)[g(u)1]x^2u_{xx}+2xyu_{xy}+y^2u_{yy}=g(u)[g'(u)-1].

Solution

Step 1 — sin2u\sin^2u is homogeneous of degree 16-\tfrac16

Let v:=sin2u=x1/3+y1/3x1/2+y1/2v:=\sin^2 u=\dfrac{x^{1/3}+y^{1/3}}{x^{1/2}+y^{1/2}}. Replace (x,y)(tx,ty)(x,y)\to(tx,ty):

v(tx,ty)=(tx)1/3+(ty)1/3(tx)1/2+(ty)1/2=t1/3(x1/3+y1/3)t1/2(x1/2+y1/2)=t1/31/2v(x,y)=t1/6v(x,y).v(tx,ty)=\frac{(tx)^{1/3}+(ty)^{1/3}}{(tx)^{1/2}+(ty)^{1/2}}=\frac{t^{1/3}\big(x^{1/3}+y^{1/3}\big)}{t^{1/2}\big(x^{1/2}+y^{1/2}\big)}=t^{1/3-1/2}\,v(x,y)=t^{-1/6}v(x,y).

Hence v=sin2uv=\sin^2 u is homogeneous of degree n=16n=-\dfrac{1}{6}. \blacksquare

Step 2 — Euler’s theorem (first order)

For a function vv homogeneous of degree nn, Euler’s theorem gives xvx+yvy=nvx\,v_x+y\,v_y=n\,v. With v=sin2uv=\sin^2u, vx=2sinucosuux=sin2uuxv_x=2\sin u\cos u\,u_x=\sin 2u\,u_x, similarly vy=sin2uuyv_y=\sin 2u\,u_y. So

sin2u(xux+yuy)=nsin2u  xux+yuy=nsin2usin2u=n2tanu.\sin 2u\,(x u_x+y u_y)=n\sin^2u\ \Longrightarrow\ x u_x+y u_y=\frac{n\sin^2 u}{\sin 2u}=\frac{n}{2}\tan u.

With n=16n=-\tfrac16: writing g(u):=n2tanu=112tanug(u):=\dfrac{n}{2}\tan u=-\dfrac{1}{12}\tan u,

xux+yuy=112tanu.(1)x u_x+y u_y=-\tfrac{1}{12}\tan u. \tag{1}

Step 3 — Euler’s theorem (second order)

The standard second-order consequence: if xux+yuy=g(u)x u_x+y u_y=g(u), then differentiating w.r.t. xx (then ×x\times x) and w.r.t. yy (then ×y\times y) and adding yields

x2uxx+2xyuxy+y2uyy=g(u)[g(u)1].(2)x^2u_{xx}+2xy\,u_{xy}+y^2u_{yy}=g(u)\big[g'(u)-1\big]. \tag{2}

(Derivation: x\partial_x of (1): ux+xuxx+yuxy=g(u)uxu_x+xu_{xx}+yu_{xy}=g'(u)u_x; multiply by xx. y\partial_y of (1): xuxy+uy+yuyy=g(u)uyxu_{xy}+u_y+yu_{yy}=g'(u)u_y; multiply by yy. Add: x2uxx+2xyuxy+y2uyy+(xux+yuy)=g(u)(xux+yuy)x^2u_{xx}+2xyu_{xy}+y^2u_{yy}+(xu_x+yu_y)=g'(u)(xu_x+yu_y), i.e. LHS =g(u)g(u)g(u)=g(u)[g(u)1]=g(u)g'(u)-g(u)=g(u)[g'(u)-1].)

Step 4 — Evaluate with g(u)=112tanug(u)=-\tfrac{1}{12}\tan u

g(u)=112sec2u=112(1+tan2u).g'(u)=-\tfrac{1}{12}\sec^2u=-\tfrac{1}{12}(1+\tan^2u). g(u)1=112112tan2u1=1312tan2u12=(1312+tan2u12).g'(u)-1=-\tfrac{1}{12}-\tfrac{1}{12}\tan^2u-1=-\tfrac{13}{12}-\tfrac{\tan^2u}{12}=-\Big(\tfrac{13}{12}+\tfrac{\tan^2u}{12}\Big).

Therefore

x2uxx+2xyuxy+y2uyy=g(u)[g(u)1]=(112tanu)((1312+tan2u12)),x^2u_{xx}+2xyu_{xy}+y^2u_{yy}=g(u)[g'(u)-1]=\Big(-\tfrac{1}{12}\tan u\Big)\Big(-\big(\tfrac{13}{12}+\tfrac{\tan^2u}{12}\big)\Big),

Answer

  x22ux2+2xy2uxy+y22uy2=tanu12(1312+tan2u12).  \boxed{\;x^2\frac{\partial^2u}{\partial x^2}+2xy\frac{\partial^2u}{\partial x\partial y}+y^2\frac{\partial^2u}{\partial y^2}=\frac{\tan u}{12}\left(\frac{13}{12}+\frac{\tan^2u}{12}\right).\;}
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