Asymptotics of solutions of difference equations with delays (Q309443)

The authors are concerned with the asymptotics of the scalar difference equations \[ \Delta x(n)=a_0 x(n) - \sum_{k=1}^N a_k x\left(n-r_k(n)\right)+f(n),\qquad n \in \mathbb{N}_0, \] where \(a_k>0\) and \(0\leq r_k (n) \leq w_k\) with \(k=\overline{1,N}\) and \(n\in \mathbb{N}\), \(a_0\) is an arbitrary real number, \(f\) is an arbitrary function, acting from \(\mathbb{N}_0\) to \(\mathbb{R}\). It appears that the authors overlook the effect of the nonhomogeneous term on the stability of the given equation. This, unfortunately, lead to invalid result(s). For example, take \(r_1(n)=w_1=1\) and consider the equation \[ \Delta x(n)=\frac{1}{2} x(n) - \frac{1}{2} x(n-1)+1,\qquad n \in \mathbb{N}_0. \] As defined by the authors, the characteristic equation \[ P\left(\zeta\right)=\zeta -\frac{3}{2} + \frac{1}{2} \zeta^{-1} =0 \] has the roots \(1/2\) and \(1\). Hence, Part (c) of Theorem 1 and Part (c) of Theorem 6 hold true. Yet, the difference equation is not stable because \[ x(n)= c_1 + c_2 \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n + 2n, \] where \(c_1\) and \(c_2\) are arbitrary constants.