Existence and multiplicity of nonnegative solutions for semilinear elliptic problems involving nonlinearities indefinite in sign

Let r,s∈]1,2$r,s\in ]1,2$ and λ,μ∈]0,+∞$\lambda ,\mu \in ]0,+\infty$. In this paper, we deal with the existence and multiplicity of nonnegative and nonzero solutions of the Dirichlet problem with 0$0$ boundary data for the semilinear elliptic equation −Δu=λu^s−1−u^r−1$-\Delta u=\lambda u^{s-1}-u^{r-1}$ in Ω⊂R^N$\Omega \subset {\mathbb{R}}^N$, where N≥2$N\ge 2$. We prove that there exists a positive constant Λ$\Lambda$ such that the above problem has at least two solutions, at least one solution or no solution according to whether λ>Λ$\lambda >\Lambda$, λ=Λ$\lambda =\Lambda$ or λ<Λ$\lambda <\Lambda$. In particular, a result by Hernandéz, Macebo and Vega is improved and, for the semilinear case, a result by Díaz and Hernandéz is partially extended to higher dimensions. Finally, an answer to a conjecture, recently stated by the author, is also given.