Oscillation criteria for first order differential equations with deviating arguments (Q807824)

The author analyzes the oscillatory behavior of solutions of \(x'(t)+\sum^{n}_{i=1}p_ ix(t-\tau_ i)=0,\) where \(p_ i\), \(\tau_ i\) \((i=1,...,n)\) are constants. The delays satisfy \(\tau_ i\geq 0\) \((i=1...n)\) whereas the sequence \(\{p_ i\}^ n_{i=1}\) may contain both positive (stable) and negative (unstable) terms. It is proved that the equation is oscillatory if and only if the characteristic equation \(\lambda +\sum^{n}_{i=1}p_ ie^{-\lambda \tau_ i}=0\) has no real roots. This extends earlier work by \textit{G. Ladas}, \textit{Y. G. Sficas} and \textit{I. P. Stavroulakis} [Am. Math. Mon. 90, 637-640 (1983; Zbl 0526.34054)] and by \textit{M. I. Tramov} [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Mat. 19, No.3, 92-96 (1975; Zbl 0319.34070)].