An overview of the method of lower and upper solutions for ODEs. (Q2764201)

The authors restrict their overview to second order ordinary differential equations with separated boundary conditions \[ u''=f(t,u,u'), \quad a_1u(a)-a_2u'(a)=A,\quad b_1u(b)+b_2u'(b)=B.\tag{*} \] They define lower and upper solution to (*) of different smoothness and strictedness. The focus of the paper is on the formulation of conditions guaranteeing the existence of at least one solution of (*) in case that a pair of ordered lower and upper solutions exists. Special attention is devoted to Nagumo's condition and to the relation with degree theory. The presented results are illustrated by means of several examples. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0970.00019].