Existence of positive solutions of linear delay difference equations with continuous time

Abstract

Consider the delay difference equation with continuous time of the form \[x(t)-x(t-1)+\sum_{i=1}^mP_i(t)x(t-k_i(t))=0,\qquad t\ge t_0,\] where $P_i\colon[t_0,\infty)\mapsto\mathbb{R}$, $k_i\colon[t_0,\infty)\mapsto \{2,3,4,\dots\}$ and $\lim_{t\to\infty}(t-k_i(t))=\infty$, for $i=1,2,\dots,m$. We introduce the generalized characteristic equation and its importance in oscillation of all solutions of the considered difference equations. Some results for the existence of positive solutions of considered difference equations are presented as the application of the generalized characteristic equation.

Keywords

• functional equations
• difference equations with continuous time
• positive solutions
• oscillatory solutions
• non-oscillatory solutions