No label defined (Q5706554)

This article studies the number of positive solutions \(u(x)\) of the two-point boundary value problem \[ u''+f(u)=0,\quad 0\leq x\leq 1,\quad u(0)=u(1)=0. \] The main theorem shows that if the nonlinearity \(f\) is positive on an interval \((u_1,u_2)\subset (0,\infty)\), and satisfies a certain inequality on this interval, then the boundary value problem has at most one solution whose maximum lies in the interval \((u_1,u_2)\). The proof of this theorem uses an integral relation satisfied by the solutions, which was obtained by the author and \textit{Y. Li} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 239, No.2, 478-484 (1999; Zbl 0939.34022)]. Using the main theorem, the author obtains a complete qualitative description of the bifurcation diagrams for some classes of parameterized problems of the form \[ u''+\lambda f(u)=0,\quad 0\leq x\leq 1,\quad u(0)=u(1)=0. \] Another application of the mentioned integral relation is given, providing a precise description of the solution set of the nonlocal problem \[ u''+u^3=0,\quad 0\leq x\leq L,\quad u(0)=0,\quad \int_0^L u(s)ds=\alpha. \]