Lesson plan
Mathieu function
In mathematics, Mathieu functions, sometimes called angular Mathieu functions, are solutions of Mathieu's differential equation : \frac{d^2y}{dx^2} + (a - 2q\cos(2x))y = 0, where are real-valued parameters. Since we may add to to change the sign of , it is a usual convention to set . They were first introduced by Émile Léonard Mathieu, who encountered them while studying vibrating elliptical drumheads. They have applications in many fields of the physical sciences, such as optics, quantum mechanics, and general relativity. They tend to occur in problems involving periodic motion, or in the analysis of partial differential equation (PDE) boundary value problems possessing elliptic symmetry.
Article summary
In mathematics, Mathieu functions, sometimes called angular Mathieu functions, are solutions of Mathieu's differential equation : \frac{d^2y}{dx^2} + (a - 2q\cos(2x))y = 0, where are real-valued parameters. Since we may add to to change the sign of , it is a usual convention to set . They were first introduced by Émile Léonard Mathieu, who encountered them while studying vibrating elliptical drumheads. They have applications in many fields of the physical sciences, such as optics, quantum mechanics, and general relativity. They tend to occur in problems involving periodic motion, or in the analysis of partial differential equation (PDE) boundary value problems possessing elliptic symmetry.
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