Eigenvalue comparisons for second order difference equations with periodic and antiperiodic boundary conditions (Q949321)

The authors consider the boundary value problem \(\Delta(r_{i-1}\Delta y_{i-1})-b_iy_i+\lambda a_i y_i=0,\) \(1\leq i\leq n,\) \(n\geq 3,\) \(y_0=\alpha y_n,\) \(y_{n+1}=\alpha y_1\). Making a special choice \(\alpha=-1\), or \(\alpha=0\), or \(\alpha=1\), the problem becomes the problem with the antiperiodic boundary conditions, or with the Dirichlet boundary conditions, or with the periodic boundary conditions, respectively. The coefficients are finite sequences of real numbers with \(r_0=r_n\), \(r_i>0\) for \(0\leq i\leq n\), and \(b_i\geq 0\) for \(1\leq i\leq n\). The parameter \(\lambda\) may be complex. The authors study the structure of the eigenvalues of the problem. They also make comparisons of eigenvalues for two problems where the coefficients change.