On a positive solution of a three-point boundary value problem (Q2461870)

Consider the boundary value problem \[ x''+ f(t,x,x')=0,\quad x'(0)= 0,\quad x(1)={\alpha} x(\eta),\tag{\(*\)} \] where \(f:[0,1]\times [0,+\infty)\times \mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}\) satisfies the Carathéodory conditions and \(\eta\in (0,1)\). The authors prove the following results. Theorem 1. If the solution \(\widetilde y\) of the Cauchy problem \[ y''+ g(t) y=0,\quad y(0)= 1,\quad y'(0)= 0 \] is positive, then the boundary value problem \((*)\) has a positive solution for \(\alpha\in (0,\widetilde y(1)/\widetilde y(\eta))\). Theorem 2. If \(\alpha\in (0,1]\) and \[ \| g\|_1\in \Biggl[0,{1-\alpha\over 1-\eta\alpha}\Biggr], \] then \((*)\) has a positive solution.