On boundary value problems for second order nonlinear functional difference equations (Q970515)

The authors study the boundary value problem (BVP) for the functional difference equation \[ a_nu_{n+1}+a_{n-1}u_{n-1}+b_{n}u_n=f(n,u_{n+1}, u_n,u_{n-1}),\quad \;\;u_1-u_0=A,\;\;\;u_{k+1}=B, \] where \(a_n\), \(b_n\) are real valued for integer \(n\), \(f\) is a continuous function, \(A\) and \(B\) are constants. The main idea of the paper is to transfer the existence the BVP solutions into the existence of the critical points of some functional. Three theorems on sufficient conditions and on existence and multiplicity of the BVP are proved by an application of \textit{P. H. Rabinowitz}'s Linking Theorem [Minimax methods in critical point theory with applications to differential equations. Reg. Conf. Ser. Math. 65 (1986; Zbl 0609.58002)]. A simple illustrative example is given.