Generalized maximum principle for higher order ordinary differential equations (Q2367807)

If \(u^{(n)}(x)\geq 0\), \(x\in (a,b)\), \((-1)^{n-k} u^{(i)}(a)\geq 0\), \(i=1,2,\dots,k-1\), \((-1)^{n-k+j} u^{(j)}(b)\geq 0\), \(j=1,2,\dots,n-k- 1\), then the maximum principle states that in the case \(n-k\) even \(u\) attains its minimum and in the case \(n-k\) odd \(u\) attains its maximum either at \(a\) or \(b\). The proof is constructive.