Dichotomy and trichotomy of difference equations

Dedicated to Professor Gerry Ladas on his sixtieth birthday in acknowledgement of his leading role of difference equations. We extend the notions of dichotomy and trichotomy to nonlinear ordinary difference equations. This is accomplished by using two completely different approaches. In the first approach we use a notion, independent of the nature of our difference equation, called tracking. In the second approach we introduce a discrete analogue of dichotomy and trichotomy in variation.