Student Code Number: _______________________

Math Qualifying Exam

Department of Mechanical Engineering

January 2015

Open book (only one book allowed)

Open notes (only one 3 ring binder of notes allowed)
In order to receive full credit you must show all work
Calculators permitted

Answer all questions

All questions have equal weight

TIME: 3.0 hrs

Prepared by: Profs. C.W. Somerton and N. Mueller

Problem 1
Solve the following differential equation

d 2u
+ 4u = cos(2x)
dx 2

subject to the boundary conditions

u(x=0) = 1 and u(x=1) = 0

Problem 2
Solve the following differential equation

∂ 2T ∂ 2T ∂T
+ 2 +2 =0
∂x 2
∂y ∂y

with boundary conditions

T(x=0,y) = 0
∂T
=0
∂x x = a, y
∂T
=0
∂y x, y = 0

T(x,y=b) = sin(3x)
Problem 3
Solve the following initial value problem by using the Laplace Transform:

d2 y dy
2
+ 4 + 4y = 2 sin(2t)
dt dt

subject to the initial conditions

dy
y(t=0) = 3 and =2
dt t = 0
Problem 4
a) Taylor Series: Find the value of f(6) given f(4)=125, f’(4)=74, f’’(4)=30, f’’’(4)=6 and
all other higher derivatives of f(x) at x=4 are zero.
b) Obtain the Fourier expansion of the periodic function f(t) of period 2π defined by
f(t) = t (0 < t < 2π)
f(t) = f(t + 2π)
Problem 5
a) Find the inverse of the matrix
3 0 2
2 0 − 2

0 1 1 
b) Find the solution x to the set of equations
3 0 2 1 
2 0 − 2 x = 0


0 1 1  0
c) Find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the matrix
1 2
1 0 
 