Existence and uniqueness of solutions of right focal point boundary value problems for third and fourth order equations (Q795205)

Existence and uniqueness results are obtained for solutions of BVP's for (1) \(y^{(n)}=f(x,y,y',...,y^{(n-1)}),\) satisfying conditions \(y^{(i)}(x_ j)=y_{ij}, m_ 1+...+m_{k-1}\leq i\leq m_ 1+...+m_ k-1,\) 2\(\leq k\leq r\), \(m_ 1+...+m_ r=n, y_{ij}\in R\), \(a<x_ 1<...<x_ r<b\), 2\(\leq r\leq n\). Such a BVP is called a right \((m_ 1,...,m_ r)-focal\) point BVP for (1) on (a,b). It is assumed that f is continuous on \((a,b)\times R^ n\), that IVP's for (1) are unique and extend to (a,b), and that a compactness condition on solutions of (1) is satisfied. In a previous work [Nonlinear Anal., Theory Methods Appl. 5, 989-1002 (1981; Zbl 0468.34010)] the author assumed, in addition to the standing hypotheses, that the following holds: (E) Each right (1,1,...,1)-focal point BVP for (1) has at most one solution. It was then proven that each right \((m_ 1,...,m_ r)\)-focal point BVP has a unique solution. In this paper, for \(n=3,4\), converse questions are addressed in terms of conditions implying (E). In particular, for (2) \(y'''=f(x,y,y',y''),\) assuming in addition to the standing hypotheses that the following holds: (E') Each right \((m_ 1,m_ 2)\)-focal point BVP has at most one solution; it is proven that (E) is satisfied, and consequently, each right \((m_ 1,m_ 2)\)- and each right (1,1,1)-focal point BVP for (2) has a unique solution. For (3) \(y^{(4)}=f(x,y,...,y'''),\) a condition similar to (E') in terms of right \((m_ 1,m_ 2)\)- and right \((m_ 1,m_ 2,m_ 3)\)-focal point BVP's is assumed. Then it is proven that condition (E) is satisfied by (3), and hence, each right \((m_ 1,...,m_ r)\)-focal point BVP for (3) has a unique solution.