Existence of a positive solution for an \(n\)th order boundary value problem for nonlinear difference equations (Q1809768)

Summary: The \(n\)th order eigenvalue problem: \[ \Delta^n x(t)=(-1)^{n-k} \lambda f\bigl(t,x(t)\bigr), \quad t\in [0,T], \] \[ x(0)=x(1)= \cdots=x(k-1)= x(T+k+1)= \cdots=x(T+n)=0, \] is considered, where \(n\geq 2\) and \(k\in\{1,2, \dots, n-1\}\) are given. Eigenvalues \(\lambda\) are determined for \(f\) continuous and the case where the limits \(f_0(t)=\lim_{n\to 0^+} {f(t,u)\over u}\) and \(f_\infty(t)= \lim_{n\to\infty} {f(t,u)\over u}\) exist for all \(t\in[0,T]\). Guo's fixed point theorem [cf. \textit{D. Guo} and \textit{V. Lakshmikantham}: Nonlinear problems in abstract cones (1988; Zbl 0661.47045)] is applied to operators defined on annular regions in a cone.