Periodic solutions for equation \(\dot x = A(t)x^m + B(t)x^n + C(t)x^l\) with \(A(t)\) and \(B(t)\) changing signs (Q423593)

Consider the generalized Abel equations \[ x'=A(t)x^m+B(t)x^n+C(t)x^l \] with \(A,B\) and \(C\) smooth functions and \(m>n>l>0\) integer numbers. A solution of this equation satisfying \(x(0)=x(1)\) is called periodic. Note that periodic solutions can also be characterized as zeroes of the so called return map. When \(A,B\) and \(C\) are 1-periodic functions, a solution satisfying this property is an actual periodic orbit of the differential equation. This paper gives some sufficient conditions under which the equation has a given upper bound for its number of periodic solutions. The authors extend results and ideas used in previous papers dealing with similar equations. One of the key ideas is to give a suitable integral expression for characterizing the stability of the periodic orbits and then prove its monotonicity with respect to the initial conditions of the periodic solutions. The conditions given in the paper essentially force this monotonicity. Using this result, it is not difficult to prove that the Abel equation has at most two periodic solutions on each of the regions where this monotonicity holds. Then, results of at most 1,2,3,4 or 5 non-zero periodic solutions are given.