Existence of three solutions to second-order differential equations with nonlinear boundary value conditions (Q698371)

It is proved the existence of at least three solutions to a boundary value problem of the form \[ u''=f(t,u,u'), \quad g_1(u(a),u'(a))=0, \quad g_2(u(b),u'(b))=0, \] where \(f,g\) are continuous functions. It is assumed that \(f\) satisfies a Nagumo-type condition and that \(g_1,g_2\) are nondecreasing in the second variable. No monotonicity condition on \(f\) is required. The proof is performed in the framework of coincidence degree theory; moreover, the concept of upper/lower solution is used. A very similar result for the two-point boundary value problem can be found in [\textit{J. Henderson} and \textit{H. B. Thompson}, J. Differ. Equations 166, 443-454 (2000; Zbl 1013.34017) and \textit{P. Candito}, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 252, 523-537 (2000; Zbl 0980.34015)].