Triple Solutions for Second-Order Three-Point Boundary Value Problems

We establish the existence of at least three positive solutions to the second-order three-point boundary value problem, u″ + f(t, u) = 0, u(0) = 0, αu(η) = u(1), where η: 0 lt; η < 1, 0 < α < 1/η, and f: [0, 1] × [0, ∞) → [0, ∞) is continuous. We accomplish this by making growth assumptions on f which can apply to many more cases than the sublinear and superlinear ones discussed in recent works.     

Finite element approximation of a nonlinear cross-diffusion population model

Summary. We consider a fully discrete finite element approximation of the nonlinear cross-diffusion population model: Find u_i, the population of the i^th species, i=1 and 2, such that where ji and g_i(u₁,u₂):=(_i–_iiu_i–_iju_j)u_i. In the above, the given data is as follows: v is an environmental potential, c_i, a_i are diffusion coefficients, b_i are transport coefficients, _i are the intrinsic growth rates, and _ii are intra-specific, whereas _ij, ij, are interspecific competition coefficients. In addition to showing well-posedness of our approximation, we prove convergence in space dimensions d3. Finally some numerical experiments in one space dimension are presented.Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 65M60, 65M12, 35K55, 92D25Acknowledgements. Part of this work was carried out while the authors participated in the 2003 programme {\it Computational Challenges in Partial Differential Equations} at the Isaac Newton Institute, Cambridge, UK.     

Critical Exponents of Quasilinear Parabolic Equations

In this paper we study the critical exponents of the Cauchy problem in Rⁿ of the quasilinear singular parabolic equations: u_t = div(|∇u|^m − 1∇u) + t^s|x|^σu^p, with non-negative initial data. Here s ≥ 0, (n − 1)/(n + 1) < m < 1, p > 1 and σ > n(1 − m) − (1 + m + 2s). We prove that p_c ≡ m + (1 + m + 2s + σ)/n > 1 is the critical exponent. That is, if 1 < p ≤ p_c then every non-trivial solution blows up in finite time, but for p > p_c, a small positive global solution exists.     

A Variational Approach to Discontinuous Problems with Critical Sobolev Exponents

We employ variational techniques to study the existence and multiplicity of positive solutions of semilinear equations of the form − Δu = λh(x)H(u − a)u^q + u^2* − 1 in R^N, where λ, a > 0 are parameters, h(x) is both nonnegative and integrable on R^N, H is the Heaviside function, 2* is the critical Sobolev exponent, and 0 ≤ q < 2* − 1. We obtain existence, multiplicity and regularity of solutions by distinguishing the cases 0 ≤ q ≤ 1 and 1 < q < 2* − 1.     

Eigenvalues and the One-Dimensional p-Laplacian

We consider the boundary value problem (?_p(u′))′ + λF(t, u) = 0, with p > 1, t ∈ (0, 1), u(0) = u(1) = 0, and with λ > 0. The value of λ is chosen so that the boundary value problem has a positive solution. In addition, we derive an explicit interval for λ such that, for any λ in this interval, the existence of a positive solution to the boundary value problem is guaranteed. In addition, the existence of two positive solutions for λ in an appropriate interval is also discussed.     

A finite difference solution to a two-dimensional parabolic inverse problem

In this paper, we consider the problem of finding u = u(x, y, t) and p = p(t) which satisfy u_t = u_xx + u_yy + p(t)u + ? in R × [0, T], u(x, y, 0) = f(x, y), (x, y) ∈ R = [0, 1] × [0, 1], u is known on the boundary of R and u(x^∗, y^∗, t) = E(t), 0 < t ? T, where E(t) is known and (x^∗, y^∗) is a given point of R. Through a function transformation, the nonlinear two-dimensional diffusion problem is transformed into a linear problem, and a backward Euler scheme is constructed. It is proved by the maximum principle that the scheme is uniquely solvable, unconditionally stable and convergent in L_∞ norm. The convergence orders of u and p are of O(τ + h²). The impact of initial data errors on the numerical solution is also considered. Numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the validity of the theoretical results.     

Quasiclassical asymptotic behavior of the scattering cross section for asymptotically homogeneous potentials

One considers the total scattering cross section on the potential gV(x), x^m, m3, for large values of the coupling constant g and of the wave number k. One assumes that V(x)(x/|1x|)|x|^–, 2>m+1, as ¦x¦. It is shown that for gk^–1 , g^3–ak^2(a–2) the scattering cross section is equal asymptotically to _a(gk^–1), x=(m–1)(–1)^–1. Here the coefficient _a is determined only by the function and the number . Under the additional conditions >0, V>0, the indicated asymptotic behavior holds in the large domain gk^–1 , gk^a–z c(gk^–1), >0.Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov Leningradskogo Otdeleniya Matematicheskogo Instituta im. V. A. Steklova AN SSSR, Vol. 152, pp. 105–136, 1986.     

On (-<Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis> ⋅ <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>)-constant deformations of Gorenstein surface singularities

Let : X T be a small deformation of a normal Gorenstein surface singularity X ₀ = ^-1(0) over the complex number field . Suppose that T is a neighborhood of the origin of and that X ₀ is not log-canonical. We show that if a topological invariant -P _t P _t of X _t = ^-1(t) is constant, then, after a suitable finite base change, admits a simultaneous resolution f : M X which induces a locally trivial deformation of each maximal string of rational curves at an end of the exceptional set of M ₀ X ₀; in particular, if X ₀ has a star-shaped resolution graph, then admits a weak simultaneous resolution (in other words, is an equisingular deformation).     

Weak Sequential Completeness of β-duals of Double Sequence Spaces

We consider dual pairs E,E ⁽⁾ of double sequence spaces E and E ⁽⁾, where E ⁽⁾ is the -dual space of E with respect to the -convergence of double sequences for = p (Pringsheim convergence), bp (bounded p-convergence) and r (regular convergence). Motivated by Boos, Fleming and Leiger [3], we introduce two oscillating properties (signed P_OSCP(k), k {1,2}) for a double sequence space E such that the signed P_OSCP(1) guarantees the (E ^(p), E)-sequential completeness of E ^(p), whereas the signed P_OSCP(2) implies the equalities E ^(r) = E ^(bp) = E ^(p) and the (E ⁽⁾, E)-sequentialcompleteness of E ⁽⁾ for = bp and r.     

Generalized Jordan algebras

We study commutative algebras which are generalizations of Jordan algebras. The associator is defined as usual by (x, y, z) = (x y)z − x(y z). The Jordan identity is (x², y, x) = 0. In the three generalizations given below, t, β, and γare scalars. ((x x)y)x + t((x x)x)y = 0, ((x x)x)(y x) − (((x x)x)y)x = 0, β((x x)y)x + γ((x x)x)y − (β + γ)((y x)x)x = 0. We show that with the exception of a few values of the parameters, the first implies both the second and the third. The first is equivalent to the combination of ((x x)x)x = 0 and the third. We give examples to show that our results are in some reasonable sense, the best possible.     

Symmetry transformations for square sliced three-way arrays, with applications to their typical rank

The typical 3-tensorial rank has been much studied over algebraically closed fields, but very little has been achieved in the way of results pertaining to the real field. The present paper examines the typical 3-tensorial rank over the real field, when the slices of the array involved are square matrices. The typical rank of 3 × 3 × 3 arrays is shown to be five. The typical rank of p × q × q arrays is shown to be larger than q + 1 unless there are only two slices (p = 2), or there are three slices of order 2 × 2 (p = 3 and q = 2). The key result is that when the rank is q + 1, there usually exists a rank-preserving transformation of the array to one with symmetric slices.     

Precise Spectral Asymptotics for the Dirichlet Problem − u″(t) + g(u(t)) = λsinu(t)

We consider the nonlinear eigenvalue problem on an interval−u″(t)+g(u(t))=λsinu(t),u(t)>0,t∈I:=(−T,T),u(±T)=0,where λ > 0 is a parameter and T > 0 is a constant. It is known that if λ ? 1, then the corresponding solution has boundary layers. In this paper, we characterize λ by the boundary layers of the solution when λ ? 1 from a variational point of view. To this end, we parameterize a solution pair (λ, u) by a new parameter 0 < ?< T, which characterizes the boundary layers of the solution, and establish precise asymptotic formulas for λ(?) with exact second term as ? → 0. It turns out that the second term is a constant which is explicitly determined by the nonlinearity g.     

Fractal oscillations of self-adjoint and damped linear differential equations of second-order

For a prescribed real number s ∈ [1, 2), we give some sufficient conditions on the coefficients p(x) and q(x) such that every solution y = y(x), y ∈ C²((0, T]) of the linear differential equation (p(x)y′)′ + q(x)y = 0 on (0, T], is bounded and fractal oscillatory near x = 0 with the fractal dimension equal to s. This means that y oscillates near x = 0 and the fractal (box-counting) dimension of the graph Γ(y) of y is equal to s as well as the s dimensional upper Minkowski content (generalized length) of Γ(y) is finite and strictly positive. It verifies that y admits similar kind of the fractal geometric asymptotic behaviour near x = 0 like the chirp function y_ch(x) = a(x)S(φ(x)), which often occurs in the time-frequency analysis and its various applications. Furthermore, this kind of oscillations is established for the Bessel, chirp and other types of damped linear differential equations given in the form y″ + (μ/x)y′ + g(x)y = 0, x ∈ (0, T]. In order to prove the main results, we state a new criterion for fractal oscillations near x = 0 of real continuous functions which essentially improves related one presented in [1].     

Minimal Positive Solutions to Some Singular Second-Order Differential Equations

The existence of a minimal C¹[0, 1] positive solution is established for some second-order singular boundary value and initial value problems by new schemes, which are related to x′. Our nonlinearity may be singular at t = 0, 1, x = 0, or x′ = 0.     

Riemannian submersions and the regular interval theorem of Morse theory

A generalized version of the regular interval theorem of Morse theory is proven using techniques from the theory of Riemannian submersions and conformal deformations. This approach provides an interesting link between Riemannian submersions (for real valued functions) and Morse theory.Let % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]: (M,) R be a smooth real valued function on a non-compact complete connected Riemannian manifold (M,g) such that df is bounded in norm away from zero. By pointwise conformally deforming g to pg, p = d% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]², we show that (M,pg) is a complete Riemannian manifold, and that % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]: (M,pg) R is a surjective Riemannian submersion and a globally trivial fiber bundle over R. In particular, all of the level hypersurfaces of % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\] are diffeomorphic, and M is globally diffeomorphic to the product bundle R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\] ^–1(0) by a diffeomorphism F ⁰: R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0) M that straightens out the level hypersurfaces of % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\].Moreover, we show that (F ⁰)^*(pg) is a parameterized Riemannian product manifold on R×% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0), i.e., a product manifold with a metric that varies on the fibers {t} × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0). Also, F ⁰: (R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0),(F ⁰)^*(pg)) (M,g) is a conformal diffeomorphism between the Reimannian manifolds (R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0), (F ⁰)^*(pg)) and (M,g),so that (M,g) is conformally equivalent to a parameterized Riemannian product manifold. The conformal diffeomorphism F ⁰ is an isometry between the Riemannian product manifold (R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0), 1 + g ₀) (where g ₀) is the metric induced by g on % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0) and (M,g) if and only if d% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\] = 1 and Hess % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\] = 0.     

Fault-tolerant edge and vertex pancyclicity in alternating group graphs

In [J.-M. Chang, J.-S. Yang. Fault-tolerant cycle-embedding in alternating group graphs, Appl. Math. Comput. 197 (2008) 760-767] the authors claim that every alternating group graph AG_n is (n − 4)-fault-tolerant edge 4-pancyclic. Which means that if the number of faults ∣F∣ ? n − 4, then every edge in AG_n − F is contained in a cycle of length ?, for every 4 ? ? ? n!/2 − ∣F∣. They also claim that AG_n is (n − 3)-fault-tolerant vertex pancyclic. Which means that if ∣F∣ ? n − 3, then every vertex in AG_n − F is contained in a cycle of length ?, for every 3 ? ? ? n!/2 − ∣F∣. Their proofs are not complete. They left a few important things unexplained. In this paper we fulfill these gaps and present another proofs that AG_n is (n − 4)-fault-tolerant edge 4-pancyclic and (n − 3)-fault-tolerant vertex pancyclic.     

Vanishing of the costate in pontryagin’s maximum principle and singular time optimal controls

We provide examples of time and norm optimal controls that satisfy Pontryagins maximum principle in an interval 0 t T but with a costate that vanishes in 0 t T - with < T. A refinement of this construction produces time optimal controls which do not satisfy the maximum principle, even in weak form. On the positive side, we show that when we drive to zero the costate is nonzero in the whole control interval.     

On the Hermitian positive definite solutions of nonlinear matrix equation X + A∗XA = Q

Nonlinear matrix equation X^s + A∗X^−tA = Q, where A, Q are n × n complex matrices with Q Hermitian positive definite, has widely applied background. In this paper, we consider the Hermitian positive definite solutions of this matrix equation with two cases: s ? 1, 0 < t ? 1 and 0 < s ? 1, t ? 1. We derive necessary conditions and sufficient conditions for the existence of Hermitian positive definite solutions for the matrix equation and obtain some properties of the solutions. We also propose iterative methods for obtaining the extremal Hermitian positive definite solution of the matrix equation. Finally, we give some numerical examples to show the efficiency of the proposed iterative methods.     

A polynomial algorithm for some preemptive multiprocessor task scheduling problems

In this paper we consider a problem of preemptive scheduling of multiprocessor tasks on dedicated processors in order to minimize the sum of completion times. Using a standard notation, our problem can be denoted as P ∣ fix_j, pmtn ∣ ∑C_j. We give a polynomial-time algorithm to solve P ∣ fix_j, G = {P₄, dart}-free, pmtn ∣ ∑C_j problem. This result generalizes the following problems: P2 ∣ fix_j, pmtn ∣ ∑C_j, P ∣ ∣fix_j∣ ∈ {1, m}, pmtn ∣ ∑C_j and P4 ∣ fix_j = 2, pmtn ∣ ∑C_j.