Existence of multiple solutions for a second-order difference equation with a parameter (Q972934)

The author studies the existence of solutions of the second order difference boundary value problem with parameter dependence \(\Delta(p_{k-1}\, \Delta\, x_{k-1})+q_k\, x_k +\lambda\, f(k,x_k)=0\), \(k \in \{1, \dots,N\}\), \(x_0=x_N\), \(p_0\, \Delta\, x_0=p_N\, \Delta\, x_N\). Here \(N>2\) is an integer, \(\Delta\) denotes the usual forward difference operator, \(p_k,q_k \in \mathbb R\) and \(\lambda >0\). Under suitable assumptions on the function \(f\), the author proves the existence of at least \(2\, N\) distinct solutions for \(\lambda\) belonging to an interval related with the eigenvalues of a given matrix that depends on \(p_k\) and \(q_k\). The proofs follow from the application of a critical point theorem of \textit{P. H. Rabinowitz} [CBMS Reg. Conf. Ser. Math. vol. 65, Am. Math. Soc., Providence, RI (1986; Zbl 0609.58002)].