Recall that u(x,t)=v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t)).
By the chain rule
∂x∂u(x,t)∂t∂u(x,t)=∂ξ∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂x∂ξ+∂η∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂x∂η=∂ξ∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))+∂η∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))=∂ξ∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂t∂ξ+∂η∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂t∂η=−c∂ξ∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))+c∂η∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))
Again by the chain rule
∂x2∂2u(x,t)=∂x∂[∂ξ∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))]+∂x∂[∂η∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))]=∂ξ2∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂x∂ξ+∂η∂ξ∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂x∂η+∂ξ∂η∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂x∂ξ+∂η2∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂x∂η=∂ξ2∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))+2∂ξ∂η∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))+∂η2∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))
and
∂t2∂2u(x,t)=−c∂t∂[∂ξ∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))]+c∂t∂[∂η∂v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))]=−c[∂ξ2∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂t∂ξ+∂η∂ξ∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂t∂η]+c[∂ξ∂η∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂t∂ξ+∂η2∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))∂t∂η]=c2∂ξ2∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))−2c2∂ξ∂η∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))+c2∂η2∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))
so that
∂x2∂2u(x,t)−c21∂t2∂2u(x,t)=4∂ξ∂η∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))
Hence
∂x2∂2u(x,t)−c21∂t2∂2u(x,t)=0 for all (x,t)⟺4∂ξ∂η∂2v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))=0 for all (x,t)⟺∂ξ∂η∂2v(ξ,η)=0 for all (ξ,η)
(b)
Now ∂ξ∂η∂2v(ξ,η)=∂ξ∂[∂η∂v]=0.
Temporarily rename ∂η∂v=w. The equation
∂ξ∂w(ξ,η)=0 says that, for each fixed
η, w(ξ,η) is a constant. The value of the constant may depend
on η. That is, ∂η∂v(ξ,η)=w(ξ,η)=H(η), for some function H. (As a check, observe that
∂ξ∂H(η)=0.)
So the derivative of v with respect to η,
(viewing ξ as a constant) is H(η).
Let G(η) be any function whose derivative is H(η)
(i.e. an indefinite integral of H(η)). Then
∂η∂[v(ξ,η)−G(η)]=H(η)−H(η)=0.
This is the case if and only if, for each fixed ξ,
v(ξ,η)−G(ξ,η) is a constant, independent of η. That is,
if and only if
v(ξ,η)−G(η)=F(ξ)
for some function F. Hence
∂x2∂2u(x,t)−c21∂t2∂2u(x,t)=0⟺∂ξ∂η∂2v(ξ,η)=0 for all (ξ,η)⟺v(ξ,η)=F(ξ)+G(η) for some functions F and G⟺u(x,t)=v(ξ(x,t),η(x,t))=F(ξ(x,t))+G(η(x,t))⟺u(x,t)=F(x−ct)+G(x+ct)
(c)
We'll give the interpretation of F(x−ct). The case G(x+ct) is similar.
Suppose that u(x,t)=F(x−ct). Think of u(x,t) as the height of water
at position x and time t. Pick any number z. All points (x,t)
in space time for which x−ct=z have the same value of u, namely F(z).
So if you move so that your position is x=z+ct (i.e. you move the right
with speed c) you always see the same wave height. Thus F(x−ct)
represents a wave moving to the right with speed c.

Similarly, G(x+ct) represents a wave moving to the left with speed c.