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Homework Statement
If the metric for (x[tex]^{i}[/tex]) is
G = [tex]\begin{bmatrix} (x^{1})<br /> & 0 \\ <br /> 0 & 1<br /> \end{bmatrix}[/tex]
a) write the differential equations of the geodesics in terms of the dependent variables u = (x[tex]^{1}[/tex])[tex]^{2}[/tex] and v = x[tex]^{2}[/tex]; (b) integrate these equations and eliminate the arc - length parameter from the solution.
The Attempt at a Solution
I wrote out the geodesic equations in full and when I looked over the Christoffel symbols and all of the terms having them vanished for x^2 and one of them remained for x^1. The book's simple statement of the answer gives
d^2v / ds^2 = d^2u / ds^2 = 0
and I have no idea how they came to that. Sorry if this is very trivial and I am just being an idiot.
I am also confused for part (b). Does the question want me to integrate with respect to ds or multiply out ds and then integrate? Also how many constants would I need to add after integrating and where? Thank you in advance.