Nonoscillatory solutions of linear differential equations with deviating arguments

Summary The equation to be considered is of the form (1) x(ⁿ)(t)+p(t)x(g(t))=0 (t>a), where =±1, p(t) > 0 for ta and g(t) as t. It is well- known that a nonoscillatory solution x(t) of (1) satisfies (2) x(t)x(ⁱ)(t)>0 (0il), (–1)^i–lx(t)x(ⁱ)(t)>0 (lin) for some integer l, 0ln, (–1)^n–l–1=1. In this paper, for a given l such that 0n–l–1=1, necessary conditions and sufficient conditions are found for (1) to have a solution x(t) which satisfies (2), and a necessary and sufficient condition is established in order that for every >0 the equation x(ⁿ)(t)+p(t)x(g(t))=0 (t>a) has a solution x(t) which satisfies (2). Related results are also contained.