Eigenvalues of boundary value problems for higher-order differential equations (Q1286264)

Summary: The authors consider the boundary value problem \[ y^{(n)}+\lambda Q(t, y,y',\dots, y^{(n-2)})= \lambda P(t,y,y', \dots,y^{(n-1)}),\;n\geq 2,\;t\in (0,1), \] \[ y^{(i)} (0)=0,\;0\leq i\leq n-3,\quad\alpha y^{(n-2)}(0)-\beta y^{(n-1)}(0)= 0, \quad\gamma y^{(n-2)}(1)+\delta y^{(n-1)}(1)=0, \] where \(\lambda>0\), \(\alpha, \beta,\gamma\) and \(\delta\) are constants satisfying \(\alpha\gamma+ \alpha\delta+ \beta\gamma>0\), \(\beta,\delta\geq 0\), \(\beta+\alpha>0\) and \(\delta+\gamma>0\) to characterize the values of \(\lambda\) so that it has a positive solution. For the special case \(\lambda=1\), sufficient conditions are established for the existence of positive solutions.