No label defined (Q4518484)

The author presents a method for the linearization of the \(n\)th-order differential equation \[ y^{(n)}=f(x,y,y',\dots,y^{(n-1)}).\tag{1} \] He gives necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of nonlocal invertible transformations of the form \(y=v(x,y)z\), \(dt=u_1(x,y) dx+u_2(x,y) dy\) which reduce (1) to an autonomous \(n\)th-order linear equation. These conditions are closely connected with the possibility of factorization of (1). More precisely, the author requires that (1) admits the representation \[ \prod_{k=1}^n\left[a(u_1+u_2y'){d\over dx} +b_k(v,v_x+v_yy',u_1+u_2y',{d\over dx}(u_1+u_2y'))\right]y=0, \] where \(a, b\) are certain functions written in explicit forms. In the case where \(f\) does not depend on \(x\) and \(v=v(y), u_1(x,y)=u(x), u_2(x,y)\equiv 0,\) the linearizing transformation is constructed explicitly. Several examples of 2nd- and 3rd-order linearizable equations are considered. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0937.00045].