Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani

Second Semester 2015-16

Mid-Sem (Closed Book)

Course Title: Mathematical Methods of Physics Date: 16/03/2016

Course No. PHY F243 Maximum Marks: 90 Maximum Time: 90 Minutes

1. Apply the Gram-Schmidt procedure to obtain first three orthonormal functions for 0  x   and
wx   xe  x from the following set {S0, S1,..... } of linearly independent functions, where {Sn}={xn , n=
0,1,2,3,...}. [15]

2. For the following second order ODE,

1  x  ddx y  3x dy
2
2
2
 n(n  2) y  0 ,
dx

(i) Locate the singular points and the type of singularities.

(ii) Identify the weighing function, w(x).

(iii) Write the ODE as a self-adjoint form.

(iv) Finally write it as an eigenvalue equation and identify its eigenvalues.` [15]

3. For the given second order ODE,

1  x  ddx y  3x dy
2
2
2
 y  0 ,
dx

(i) Obtain the indicial equation.

(ii) Obtain the recurrence relation for k=1.

(iii) Check the convergence for the series of odd powers of x and show that the series diverges for x  1.

(iv) What condition should be put on α so that the infinite series of odd powers of x converts into a
polynomial. [15]

4. In the circular cylindrical coordinates the Helmholtz equation becomes

1     1  2  2
   2  2  k 2  0 .
      
2
z

Now, by assuming a factored form for ψ as,

  ,  , z   P  Z z  ,
separate the original 3D Helmholtz equation into three ODEs. [15]
5. Consider the matrix

1 0 0
A  0 0 1 .
0 1 0

Obtain its eigenvalues λi and the corresponding orthonormal eigenvectors ri and show that spectral
decomposition of the matrix A is given as:

A   i ri ri . [15]
i

6. Suppose that there exists a linear operator A that has an eigenvector  with the eigenvalue a,

A  a  .

Suppose that there also exists an operator B such that

A, B  B  2BA 2 .
Show that the vector B  is an eigenvector of A and find its eigenvalue. [15]

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