Difference equations 21
b) if i 0 = N, that is, max; y, = yN = M 0 > 0, but YN-l < M 0 , then
for 0 < X 2 < 1.
In both cases we came to a contradiction with the condition[, [Yi] > 0
for all i = 0, 1, 2, ... , N. It is therefore concluded that Yi < 0, since if
Yi > 0 at least at one point i = i*, its maximal positive value should be
attained at smne point i = i 0 (for example, at i 0 = i*) that in principle is
impossible.
Corollary 2a Under conditions (22*) the problem
£[Yi] = 0 , i=O,l, ... ,N
has only the trivial solution.
There is no difficulty to reformulate the remaining assertions from the
previous sections, but we do not dwell on precise statements.
- Solution estimation for difference boundary-value problems by the elim-
ination method. In tackling the first boundary-value problem difference
equation (21) has the tridiagonal matrix of order N - 1
-C\ B 1 0
A2 -C2 B2
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0
0 0
AN-2 -CN-2
0 AN-1
0
0
being symmetric for the case
(35) Bi = A;+1.
Difference equations with a symmetric matrix are typical in numerical
solution of boundary-value problems associated with self-adjoint differential
equations of second order. In what follows we will show that the condition
Bi =Ai+ I is necessary and sufficient for the operator[, [Yi] be self-adjoint.
As can readily be observed, any difference equation of the form
(36) Bi Yi+l - C; Yi+ A; Yi-1 = -F;,
A;# 0, B; # 0, i = 1, 2, ... , N - 1,