Existence of triple positive solutions to a class of \(p\)-Laplacian boundary value problems (Q864614)

The authors consider a boundary value problem of the form \[ (\varphi_p(u'(t)))'+a(t) f(u(t),u'(t))=0, \quad u'(0)=0=u(1), \] where \(f\) and \(a\) are positive continuous functions and \(\varphi_p(s):=| s| ^{p-2}s\), \(p>1\). It is assumed that \[ \min_{t \in [0,1]}a(t)=\varphi_p(m), \quad \max_{t \in [0,1]}a(t)=\varphi_p(M), \] with \(m<M.\) Sufficient conditions are provided for the existence of at least three positive solutions. To achieve this result it is assumed (together with other technical assumptions) that for some \(c \in {\mathbb R}\) and \(\eta \in (0,1/2)\) the following inequality holds: \[ \min_{(u,v) \in [0,c]\times [-c,0]} f(u,v) \varphi_p(M/m) \int_0^{1-\eta}a(s) \,ds \geq \max_{(u,v) \in [0,c]\times [-c,0]} f(u,v) \int_0^1a(s) \,ds. \] The proof is developed in the framework of fixed point theory in cones.