Given the two diff. eq's :

$$\dfrac{1}{X}\dfrac{d^2X}{dx^2} = C_1 \qquad \dfrac{1}{Y}\dfrac{d^2Y}{dy^2} = C_2$$

where $C_1+C_2 = 0$. Given the boundary conditions in the figure, which coordinate should be assigned to the negative constant (and thus the sinusoidal solutions)?

1. x
2. y
3. $C_1 = C_2 = 0$ here
4. It doesn't matter.

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When does $\sin(ka)e^{-ky}$ vanish?

1. $k = 0$
2. $k = \pi/(2a)$
3. $k = \pi/a$
4. A and C
5. A, B, C

Suppose $V_1(r)$ and $V_2(r)$ are linearly independent functions which both solve Laplace's equation, $\nabla^2 V = 0$.

Does $aV_1(r)+bV_2(r)$ also solve it (with $a$ and $b$ constants)?

1. Yes. The Laplacian is a linear operator
2. No. The uniqueness theorem says this scenario is impossible, there are never two independent solutions!
3. It is a definite yes or no, but the reasons given above just aren't right!
4. It depends...

What is the value of $\int_0^{2\pi} \sin(2x)\sin(3x)\;dx$ ?

1. Zero
2. $\pi$
3. $2 \pi$
4. other
5. I need resources to do an integral like this!

Separation of Variables (Spherical)

Given $\nabla^2 V = 0$ in Cartesian coords, we separated $V(x,y,z) = X(x)Y(y)Z(z)$. Will this approach work in spherical coordinates, i.e. can we separate $V(r,\theta,\phi) = R(r)\Theta(\theta)\Phi(\phi)$?

1. Sure.
2. Not quite - the angular components cannot be isolated, e.g., $f(r,\theta,\phi) = R(r)Y(\theta,\phi)$
3. It won't work at all because the spherical form of Laplace's Equation has cross terms in it (see the front cover of Griffiths)