Math 231C Homework Assignments
Spring 2021




Homework 1

Evans: page 521, problems 4, 5, 6;

Presentation choice 1: A complete solution to the brachistochrone problem and rotationally symmetric Plateau's problem. Hint: Gelfand-Fomin Ch1 helps.

  • Week one notes


    Homework 2

    Evans: page 522, problems 8, 9;

    Presentation choice 2: A solution to the Dido problem using the calculus of variations and a rigorous proof of the Dirichlet principle. Hint: Gelfand-Fomin Ch2 helps.

  • Week two notes

    For a proof of Weyl's lemma on weak harmonic function ($L^1$) must be smooth see Morrey's book page 42. If it is a $H^1$ harmonic function, the proof is much shorter (cf. Leon Simon EHT lecture notes p10).


    Homework 3

    Evans: page 523, problem 15;

    Presentation choice 3: Variational problem for optimal control, Gelfand-Formin Appendix 2.

  • Week three notes


    Homework 4

    Evans: page 522-523, problems 10, 12;

    Presentation choice 4: Weierstrass E-function and a sufficient condition for the strong extremal, Ch 6 of Gelfand-Formin

  • Week four notes

  • Dacorogna-Moser paper


    Homework 5

    Evans: page 524-525, problems 16, 19, 20

  • Week five notes

  • Argument without Dacorogna-Moser paper

    Homework 6

    Gutièrrez: page 32-33, problems 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and page 37, problem 28 (a review of some facts from linear algebra).

    Presentation choice 5: De Giorgi's proof of the Holder continuity of the weak solution in Ch4 of HL.

  • Week six notes


    Homework 7

    Gutièrrez: page 31-33, problems 1, 7, 8, 9

    Presentation choice 8: Present the Hodge theory for manifold with boundary, Ch 7.5-7.8 of Morrey's book.

  • Week seven notes


    Homework 8

    Gutièrrez: page 33-34, problems 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17

    Presentation choice 9: Present another (your favorite) application of Mountain Pass Theorem

  • Week eight notes


    Homework 9

    Gutièrrez: page 35-36, problems 19, 20, 21,

    Presentation choice 6: John's Theorem 1.8.2 of Gutièrrez and an application at your choice.

  • Week nine notes


    Homework 10

    Gutièrrez: page 36, 38, problems 24, 25, 31,

    Presentation choice 7: Present a proof of Jorgens-Calabi-Pogorelov theorem different from the class/Gutièrrez's book.

  • Week ten notes

  • Alternate proof via a maximum principle of P. Li



    Last modified: Tuesday 16, 13:06:11 PST 2021