Oscillatory behavior of solutions of general third order mixed neutral difference equations (Q2355364)

The author studies the mixed-type third-order neutral difference equation \[ \Delta\big(a_n\Delta^2(x_n+b_nx_{n-\tau_1}+c_nx_{n+\tau_2})\big)+q_nx_{n+1-\sigma_1}^\alpha+p_nx_{n+1+\sigma_2}^\beta=0, \tag{\(\ast\)} \] where \(\{a_n\}\) is positive and nondecreasing with \(\sum_{n=n_0}^\infty1/a_n=\infty\), \(\{b_n\}\) and \(\{c_n\}\) are nonnegative and bounded with their upper bounds \(b\) and \(c\) satisfying \(b+c<1\), \(\{p_n\}\) and \(\{q_n\}\) are positive, \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) are ratios of odd positive integers, and \(\tau_1\), \(\tau_2\), \(\sigma_1\), \(\sigma_2\) are nonnegative integers. The main results provide sufficient conditions, which guarantee that all solutions of (\(*\)) are oscillatory or tend to zero as \(n\to\infty\). This study is motivated by the work \textit{E. Thandapani} and \textit{N. Kavitha} [Acta Math. Sci., Ser. B, Engl. Ed. 33, No. 1, 218--226 (2013; Zbl 1289.39025)].