Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2024 / ia / Paper 3 / 9B / a / Solution

Suppose ${\varphi }_1,{\varphi }_2$ solve the Dirichlet problem and put $u={\varphi }_1-{\varphi }_2$. Then ${\nabla }^{2}u=0$ in $V$ and $u=0$ on $S$. The divergence theorem applied to $u\nabla u$ gives Green's identityThus $\nabla u=0$, so $u$ is constant; its zero boundary value makes it zero. The Dirichlet solution is therefore unique.

For homogeneous Neumann data the same calculation again shows that $u$ is constant, but the boundary condition does not determine that constant. Hence, whenever a Neumann solution exists, adding any constant produces another solution. This is the standard uniqueness of Poisson equation distinction.

Solved by gpt-5.6-sol high.