Numerical methods for computing the eigenvalues of linear fourth-order boundary-value problems (Q1196850)

The two-point eigenvalue problem \((py'')''-(qy')'+ry=\lambda sy\) in \((a,b)\), \(y(a)=y(b)= 0\) together with \(y'(a)=y'(b)=0\) or \(y''(a)=y''(b)=0\) is considered. Here, \(p\in C^ 4[a,b]\), \(q\in C^ 2[a,b]\), \(r\) and \(s\in C[a,b]\), \(p\) and \(s\) positive, and \(q\) and \(r\) nonnegative. The problem is equivalently written in terms of a system of four linear equations of first order for a vector function \(Y\). Introducing equidistant grid points \(a=x_ 0 < x_ 1 < \dots < x_{N+1}=b\), and starting from the Taylor expansion of \(Y(x+h)\), a second-order and a fourth-order scheme are established. For various examples numerical results are presented.