Multiple positive solutions for singular problems with mixed boundary data and derivative dependence (Q1025682)

The authors consider the existence of positive solutions of the second-order nonlinear boundary value problem, \[ \frac{1}{p(t)} \big ( p(t) x'(t) \big ) ' + \Phi(t) f \big (t, x(t) , p(t)x'(t) \big) = 0, \, t \in (0, 1), \] \[ \lim_{t \to 0} p(t)x'(t) = 0, \quad x(1)=0. \] In section 2, the authors present technical results including the Banach space, the cone and the index theorems employed in the sequel. In section 3, the authors show the existence of two positive \(C(0, 1] \cap C^2(0, 1)\) solutions under the assumption that \(f(t, x, z)\) has no singularities. In sections 4 and 5, they assume that \(f\) is singular at \(x=0\) and at \(x=o\) and \(z=0\) respectively, and show the existence of positive solutions. In addition, they provide examples for all three of their main theorems.