Paper 1, Section II, C

Asymptotic Methods | Part II, 2010

For λ>0\lambda>0 let

I(λ)=∫0bf(x)e−λxdx, with 0<b<∞I(\lambda)=\int_{0}^{b} f(x) \mathrm{e}^{-\lambda x} d x, \quad \text { with } \quad 0<b<\infty

Assume that the function f(x)f(x) is continuous on 0<x⩽b0<x \leqslant b, and that

f(x)∼xα∑n=0∞anxnβf(x) \sim x^{\alpha} \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} a_{n} x^{n \beta}

as x→0+x \rightarrow 0_{+}, where α>−1\alpha>-1 and β>0\beta>0.

(a) Explain briefly why in this case straightforward partial integrations in general cannot be applied for determining the asymptotic behaviour of I(λ)I(\lambda) as λ→∞\lambda \rightarrow \infty.

(b) Derive with proof an asymptotic expansion for I(λ)I(\lambda) as λ→∞\lambda \rightarrow \infty.

(c) For the function

B(s,t)=∫01us−1(1−u)t−1du,s,t>0B(s, t)=\int_{0}^{1} u^{s-1}(1-u)^{t-1} d u, \quad s, t>0

obtain, using the substitution u=e−xu=e^{-x}, the first two terms in an asymptotic expansion as s→∞s \rightarrow \infty. What happens as t→∞t \rightarrow \infty ?

[Hint: The following formula may be useful

Γ(y)=∫0∞xy−1e−xdt, for x>0\Gamma(y)=\int_{0}^{\infty} x^{y-1} \mathrm{e}^{-x} d t, \quad \text { for } \quad x>0

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