Paper 2, Section II, D
Part II, 2015
(a) Explain how a vector field
generates a 1-parameter group of transformations in terms of the solution to an appropriate differential equation. [You may assume the solution to the relevant equation exists and is unique.]
(b) Suppose now that . Define what is meant by a Lie-point symmetry of the ordinary differential equation
(c) Prove that every homogeneous, linear ordinary differential equation for admits a Lie-point symmetry generated by the vector field
By introducing new coordinates
which satisfy and , show that every differential equation of the form
can be reduced to a first-order differential equation for an appropriate function.