MA 102 (Mathematics II)

End Semester Examination

Date: April 23, 2013 Time: 3 Hours Maximum Marks: 50

Question 2:

x2 y 2
(a) Let f (x, y) := for (x, y) = (0, 0). Show that the iterated limits
x2 y 2 + (x2 y 2 )2

lim lim f (x, y) and lim lim f (x, y)

x0 y0 y0 x0

exist and are equal but lim f (x, y) does not exist. [3]
(x,y)(0,0)

Solution: We have limx0 limy0 f (x, y) = limx0 x04 = 0 and limy0 limx0 f (x, y) =
limy0 y04 = 0. Thus the iterated limits exist and are equal. [1+1 marks]
Now considering the limit along the path y = mx, we have

m2
lim f (x, mx) =
x0 m2 + (1 m2 )2

which shows that lim(x,y)(0,0) f (x, y) does not exist. [1 mark]

x
(b) Find the arc length of the graph of f (x) = 0 cos(2t) dt, 0 x /4. [2]

Solution: The required arc length

/4 /4
= 1+ (f (x) )2 dx = 1 + cos(2x) dx [1 mark]
0 0
/4
= 2 | cos x|dx = 1. [1mark]
0

(c) Let p : Rn R be such that p(x) = 0 x = 0. Further, for R and x, y Rn ,

p(x) = || p(x) and p(x + y) p(x) + p(y).

Show that p is continuous and there exist > 0 and > 0 such that

x p(x) x

for all x Rn . [3]

Solution: Note that 0 = p(0) = p(x x) 2p(x) p(x) 0. We have p(x)
p(y) + p(x y) and p(y) p(x) + p(y x) which show that |p(x) p(y)| p(x y).
[1/2 mark]
( ) n
n n
Now p(x y) = p j=1 (xj yj )ej j=1 p(ej )|xj yj | ( j=1 p(ej ))x y which
shows that |p(x) p(y)| const.x y for all x, y and hence p is continuous.
[1/2 mark]
Consider S := {x Rn : x = 1}. Since S is compact and p is continuous, there exist
xmin , xmax S such that

p(xmin ) = inf p(x) and p(xmax ) = sup p(x). [1/2 mark]

xS xS

Let := p(xmin ) and := p(xmax ). Then > 0 and > 0 because xmin = 0 and
xmax = 0. [1/2 mark]
( ) ( )
Now for x = 0, we have p(x) = x p x
x
x and p(x) = x p x
x
x.
This shows that x p(x) x for all x R .
n [1 mark]

*** End ***