Positive solutions for nonlinear \(m\)-point eigenvalue problems (Q1883072)

The authors are concerned with the existence of positive solutions of a class of nonlinear m-point eigenvalue problems of the type \[ \begin{aligned} &(p(t)u')'-q(t)u+\lambda h(t)f(u)=0,\quad 0<t<1,\\ &au(0)-bp(0)u'(0)=\sum_{i=1}^{m-2}\alpha_iu(\xi_i),\tag{\(*\)}\\ &cu(1)+dp(1)u'(1)=\sum_{i=1}^{m-2}\beta_iu(\xi_i),\end{aligned} \] where \(a, b, c, d\in[0,\infty)\), \(\xi_i\in(0,1)\), \(\alpha_i, \beta_i\in[0,\infty)\), \(i=1,\dots,m-2\), are constants, \(p,q\in C([0,1],(0,\infty))\), \(h\in C([0,1],[0,\infty))\) and \(f\in C([0,\infty),[0,\infty))\). Under certain conditions in terms of given functions and constants, they establish the existence of positive solutions of problem (\(*\)) for certain ranges of values of \(\lambda\). These results, in particular, generalize results of \textit{J. Henderson} and \textit{H. Wang} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 208, 252--259 (1997; Zbl 0876.34023)].