International Journal of Modern Research in Engineering & Management (IJMREM)

||Volume|| 2||Issue|| 1||Pages|| 26-36 || January 2019|| ISSN: 2581-4540

Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference

equation involving p-Laplacian operator
1,
Yawen Yan, 2,Chengmin Hou
1,2,
(Department of Mathematics, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, P.R. China)

----------------------------------------------------ABSTRACT-------------------------------------------------------
In this paper, we present new Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional boundary value problem of
fractional q,  -difference equation with p-Laplacian operator. The obtained inequalities are used to obtain a
lower bound for the eigenvalues of corresponding equations.

KEYWORDS: Lyapunov-type inequality; fractional derivative; eigenvalues; boundary value problem

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Date of Submission: Date, 10 January 2018 Date of Accepted: 14. January 2019
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I. INTRODUCTION
The p-Laplacian operator arises in different mathematical models that describe physical and natural phenomena
(see, for example, [1-6]). In this paper, we present some Lyapunov-type inequalities for a
fractional q,  -difference equation with p-Laplacian operator. More precisely, we are interested with the
nonlinear fractional boundary value problem

 a Dq, ( p ( a Dq, u (t ))) +  (t ) p (u (t )) = 0, a  t  b,


 (1.1)
 
 u (a) = Dq , u (a) = Dq , u (b) = 0, a Dq , u (a)= a Dq , u (b) = 0,


where 2    3 , 1    2 , a Dq, , a Dq, are the Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives of orders

 : a, b → R
p −1
 ,  ,  p ( s) = s , p  1 , and is a continuous function. Under certain assumptions

imposed on the function g , we obtain necessary conditions for the existence of nontrivial solutions to (1.1).
Some applications to eigenvalue problems are also presented. For completeness, let us recall the standard
Lyapunov inequality [7], which states that if u is a nontrivial solution of the problem
u (t ) +  (t )u (t ) = 0, a  t  b,

u ( a ) = u (b) = 0,

where a  b are two consecutive zeros of u , and  : a, b → R is a continuous function, then

b 4
a
 (t ) dt 
b−a
. (1.2)

Note that in order to obtain this inequality, it is supposed that a and b are two consecutive zeros of u . In
our case, as it will be observed in the proof of our main result, we assume just that u is a nontrivial solution to
(1.1). Inequality (1.2) is useful in various applications, including oscillation theory, stability criteria for periodic
differential equations, and estimates for intervals of disconjugacy.

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 Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference…

Several generalizations and extensions of inequality (1.2) to different boundary value problems exist in the
literature. As examples, we refer to [8-13] and the references therein. The rest of this paper is organized as
follows. In Section 2, we recall some basic concepts on fractional q,  -calculus and establish some
preliminary result be used in Section 3, where we state and prove our main result. In Section 4, we present some
applications of the obtained Lyapunov-type inequalities to eigenvalue problem.

II. PRELIMINARIES
For the convenience of the reader, we recall some basic concepts on fractional q,  -calculus to make easy the

analysis of (1.1). For more details, we refer to [19]. Let C[a, b] be the set of real-valued and continuous

functions in [ a , b ] . Let f  C[a, b] . We define the fractional q,  -derivative of Riemann-Liouville type

by

( )
 a I q−, f ( x),   0,

( a Dq, ) 
f ( x) =  f ( x),  = 0,

( )
 Dq, a I q,− f ( x),   0,

Where   denotes the smallest integer greater or equal to .

Define a q-shifting operator as a q (m) = qm + (1 − q)a . For any positive integer k , we have

a qk (m)= a qk −1 ( a q (m)) and a q0 (m) = m .

We also define the new power of q-shifting operator as
k −1
(n − m) (a0) = 1 , (n − m) (ak ) =  (n − a  qi (m)) , k  N  .
i =0

More generally, if   R , then

 n− a  qi (m)
( n − m) ( )
= ,
n− a  qi + (m)
a
i =0

with a q (m) = q  m + (1 − q  )a ,   R .

For any  , n  R , we have

s − 0
1 − q i +1 (
)

n − 0
(n− 0  q ( s))(0) = (n − c) 

,
1+ i + s −  0
i =0
1− q ( )
n − 0

and Dq , ( x − a)0 = [ ]q ( x − a) (0−1) .

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 Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference…

Definition 2.1. Let v  0 and f be a function defined on [ a , b ] . The fractional integration of Riemann-Liouville

type is given by

1 t
q (v) a
a I qv, f (t ) = (t − 0  q ( s))( v0−1) f ( s)d q , s, v  0, t  [a, b].

Theorem 2.2. [19] Let  ,   R + . The Hahn’s fractional integration has the following semi-group property

a I q a I q f ( x) = ( a )
I q +  f ( x), (0  a  x  b).

( a )
Dq, a Dq , f ( x) = ( a )
Dq,+1 f ( x), (0  a  x  b).

Lemma 2.3. Let f be a function defined on an interval ( 0 , b ) and   R + . Then the following is valid

( a )
Dq, a I q, f ( x) = f ( x) , (0  a  x  b).

Theorem 2.4. Let   ( N − 1, N ] . Then for some constants ci  R, i = 1,2, , N , the following equality
holds:

( a )
I q, a Dq, f ( x) = f ( x) + c1 ( x − a) (0 −1) + c2 ( x − a) (0 −2) +  + c N ( x − a) (0 − N ). Now, in

order to obtain an integral formulation of (1.1), we need the following results.

Lemma 2.5. Let 2    3 , and y  C[a, b] . Then the problem

 a Dq, u (t ) + y (t ) = 0, a  t  b,


 u (a) = Dq , u (a) = Dq , u (b) = 0.

has a unique solution
b
u (t ) =  G (t , s ) y ( s )d q , s ,
a

where

(
 b −   q ( s ) ( − 2 ) )
 0
(t − a ) (0 −1) , a  t  s  b,
1  (b − a )( − 2 )
G (t , s ) = 
(
q ( )  b − 0  q ( s )
( − 2 )
) Proof
(t − a ) (0 −1) − (t − 0  q ( s ))(0 −1) , a  s  t  b.
 (b − a )( − 2 )

from Theorem 2.4 we have

u(t ) =− a I q, y(t ) + c1 (t − a) (0 −1) + c2 (t − a) (0 −2) + c3 (t − a) (0 −3) .

The condition u ( a ) = 0 implies that c3 = 0 . Therefore,

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 Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference…

( )
Dq , u (t ) = − a I q,−1 y (t ) + c1 [ − 1]q (t − a) (0 −2) + c2 [ − 2]q (t − a) (0 −3)
=−
1
q ( − 1) a 
t
(t − 0  q ( s))(0 −2) y ( s)d q , 0  q ( s) ( )

+ c1[ − 1]q (t − a )0 + c2 [ − 2]q (t − a ) (0 −3) .

( − 2 )

The condition Dq, u(a) = 0 implies that c2 = 0 . Then

( − 2 )
1 b

 ( − 1) 
Dq , u (b) = − (b−   q ( s)) y ( s)d q , s
a 0 0 .
q
( − 2 )
+ c1 [ − 1]q (b − a) 0 .

Since Dq, u(b) = 0 , we get

( − 2 )
1 b
c1 =
q ( )(b − a) (0 − 2) a
(b− 0  q ( s ))
0
y ( s )d q , s .

Thus,
( −1)
1 t

q ( ) a
u (t ) = − (t − 0 q ( s )) y ( s)d q , s
0

(t − a) (0 −1) b ( − 2 )
.

q ( )(b − a) (0 − 2) a
+ (b− 0  q ( s)) y ( s)d q , s.
0

For the uniqueness, suppose that u1 and u 2 are two solutions of the considered problem. Define

u = u1 − u 2 . By linearity, u solves the boundary value problem.

 a Dq, u (t ) = 0, a  t  b,


 u (a) = Dq , u (a) = Dq , u (b) = 0.


which has a unique solution u = 0 . Therefore, u1 = u 2 and the uniqueness follows.

1 1
Lemma 2.6. Let y  C[ a, b] , 2    3 , 1    2 , p  1 , and + = 1 . Then the problem
p g

 a Dq, ( p ( a Dq, u (t ))) + y (t ) = 0, a  t  b,


 (1.1) has a
 
 u (a) = Dq , u (a) = Dq , u (b) = 0,
 a Dq , u ( a ) = a Dq , u (b) = 0.

unique solution

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 Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference…

u (t ) = − G(t , s)   H ( s, ) y( )d q , d q , s ,

b b

a g a 

(
 b −   q ( s ) (  −1) )
 0 0
(t − a ) ( 0 −1) , a  t  s  b,
1  (b − a )0
(  −1)

H (t , s ) = 
(
q (  )  b − 0  q ( s ) 
(  −1)
) Proof


0
(t − a ) ( 0 −1) − (t − 0  q ( s ))( 0 −1) , a  s  t  b.
 (b − a )0
(  −1)

from Theorem 2.4 we have

 p ( a Dq, u(t )) =− a I q, y(t ) + c1 (t − a) (  −1) + c2 (t − a)(  −2) ,

0 0

where ci , i = 1,2 , are real constants.

The condition a Dq, u (a) = 0 implies that  p ( a )

Dq, u(a) = 0 . which yields c2 = 0 . The

conditions a Dq, u (b) = 0 implies that  p ( a )

Dq, u (b) = 0 . which yields

1 b

 ( ) 
c1 = (  -1)
(b − 0  q ( s ))( 0 -1) y ( s )d q , s .
(b − a ) 0 q
a

Therefore,

 p ( a Dq, u(t )) = −
1 t

q (  ) a
(t − 0  q ( s))( 0 -1) y ( s)d q , s

(t − a) ( 0 -1) b

 ( ) 
+ (  -1)
(b−   ( s))( 0 -1) y ( s)d q , s ,
(b − a) 0 0 q
a
q

that is,

 p ( a Dq, u (t ) ) =  H (t , s ) y ( s )d q , s .
b

Then we have

Dq, u (t ) −  g   H (t , s) y ( s)d q , s  = 0 .
b
a
 a 
Setting

y = − g   H (t , s) y ( s)d q , s  .
b
~
 a 
We obtain

 a Dq, u (t ) + ~
y (t ) = 0, a  t  b,


 u (a) = Dq , u (a) = Dq , u (b) = 0.

Finally, we applying Theorem2.4, we obtain the desired result. 

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 Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference…

The following estimates will be useful later.

Lemma 2.7. We have

0  G(t , s)  G(0 q (s), s), (t , s)  [a, b]  [a, b].

Proof From the respect of G (t , s ) , set

(b− 0  q ( s) )( −2)

g1 (t , s) = (t − a) (0 −1) , a  t   (s)  b ,
(b − a ) ( − 2 )
0 q

and

(b− 0  q ( s) )( −2)

g 2 (t , s) =  (t − a) (0 −1) − (t − 0  q ( s))(0 −1) , a  (s)  t  b .
(b − a ) ( − 2 )
0 q

Clearly,

g1 (t , s)  0 , a  t 0 q (s)  b .
On the other hand,

(b− 0  q ( s) )( −2)

(t − a) (0 −1) − (t − 0  q ( s))(0 −1)  0 , a  s  t  b,
(b − a ) ( − 2 )

which yields

g 2 (t , s)  0 , a  s  t  b .

So G (t , s )  0 for all (t , s )  [ a, b]  [ a, b] , which yields

0  G(t , s)  G(0 q (s), s), (t , s)  [a, b]  [a, b] .

The proof is complete. 

Lemma 2.8. We have

0  H (t , s)  H (0 q (s), s), (t , s)  [a, b]  [a, b] .

Proof

(
 b −   q ( s ) ( − 2 ) )
 0
(t − a ) (0 − 2 ) , a  t  s  b,
[ − 1] q  (b − a )( − 2 )
t Dq , G (t , s ) = 
(
q ( )  b − 0  q ( s )
( − 2 )
) Observ
(t − a ) (0 − 2 ) − (t − 0  q ( s ))(0 − 2 ) , a  s  t  b.
 (b − a )( − 2 )

e that H (t , s ) = G (t , s ) , for  − 2 =  − 1 , Then, from the proof of Lemma 2.8 we have
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 Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference…

H (t , s)  0, (t , s)  [a, b]  [a, b] .

On the other hand, for all s  [ a, b] , we have

H (t , s)  H (0 q (s), s) .
Now, we are already to state and prove our main result.
III. MAIN RESULT
Our main result is following Lyapunov-type inequality.

Theorem 3.1. Suppose that 2    3 , 1    2 , p  1 , and  : a, b → R is a continuous function.

If (1.1) has a nontrivial continuous solution, then
b
 (b− 
a
( s))( 0 -1) ( 0  q ( s ) − a) (  -1)  ( s ) d q , s
0 q
(  -1)
p −1 (b − a ) 0 .  b
 
1− p (3.1)

(b − a) (0 -2)  a
( - 2) ( -1)
 q (  ) q ( )  (b − 
0 q ( s )) 0 ( 
0 q ( s ) − a ) 0 d q , s


Proof We endow the set C[a, b] with the Chebyshev norm u 

given by

u 
= maxu(t ) : a  t  b, u  C[a, b] .

Suppose that u  C[ a, b] is a nontrivial solution of (1.1). From Lemma 2.8 , Lemma 2.9 we have

u (t ) = − G(t , s)   H ( s, ) ( ) p (u ( ))d q , d q , s , t  a, b .

b b

a g a 

Let t  a, b be fixed. We have

u (t )   G (t , s )    H ( s, ) ( ) p (u ( ))d q ,  d q , s

b b

a g a 
b b g −1
  G (t , s )  H ( s, ) ( ) p (u ( ))d q , d q , s
a a
b
  G (t , s )  ( s )d q , s.
a

where
g −1
 (s)=   H (s, )  ( ) u( )
p −1
d q ,  a, b.
b
,s
 a 
Using Lemma 2.8 and Lemma 2.9, we obtain
g −1
u (t )  u    G( 0 q ( s), s)d q , s   H ( 0 q ( s), s)  ( s) d q, s 
b b
.
 a  a 

Since the last inequality holds for every t  [ a, b] , we obtain

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 Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference…

g −1
1    G( 0 q ( s), s)d q , s   H ( 0 q ( s), s)  (s) d q , s 
b b
,
 a  a 
which yields the desired result. 

Corollary3.2. Suppose that 2    3 , 1    2 , p  1 , and  : a, b → R is a continuous function.

If (1.1) has a nontrivial continuous solution, then

(b − a) ( 0 -1)
a
b
 ( s) d q , s  (b −  0 ) 1− 
( 0 − a) 1− 

q (  ) q ( )  p −1

(b − a) (0 -2) (3.2)

1− p
   (b− 0  q ( s))(0 -2) ( 0  q ( s) − a) (0 -1) d q , s 
b

 a 
Proof Let

 (s) = (b− q (s))(  -1) ( q (s) − a) (  -1)

0 0 0

s − 0 s − 0
1 − q i +1 ( ) 1 − q i +1 ( )

b − 0 
a − 0
= (b −  0 ) 
 −1
( 0 − a ) 
 −1

1+ i +  s −  0 s − 0
i =0
1− q ( ) i =0
1 − q 1+i + ( )
b − 0 a − 0
 (b −  0 )  −1 ( 0 − a )  −1
Observe that the function  has a maximum. That is,

 
= (b − 0 )  −1 (0 − a)  −1 , s  [a, b] .
The desired result follows immediately from the last equality and inequality (3.1). 

For p = 2 , problem (1.1) becomes

 a Dq, ( a Dq, u (t )) +  (t )u (t ) = 0,

 (3.3)
 
 u (a) = Dq , u (a) = Dq , u (b) = 0,
 a Dq , u ( a ) = a Dq , u (b) = 0,

where 2    3 , 1    2 , and  : a, b → R is a continuous function. In this case, taking p = 2

in Theorem 3.1, we obtain the following result.

Corollary3.3. Suppose that 2    3 , 1    2 , p  1 , and  : a, b → R is a continuous function.

If (3.3) has a nontrivial continuous solution,
b
 (b− 
a
( s))( 0 -1) ( 0  q ( s) − a) (  -1)  ( s) d q , s
0 q
then (b − a) ( 0 -1)  b 
−1

(b − a) (0 -2)  a
( - 2) ( -1)
 q (  )q ( )  ( b − 
0 q ( s )) 0 ( 
0 q ( s ) − a ) 0 d q ,  .
s


Taking p = 2 in Corollary3.2, we obtain the following result.

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 Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference…

Corollary3.4. Suppose that 2    3 , 1    2 , p  1 , and  : a, b → R is a continuous function.

If (3.3) has a nontrivial continuous solution, then

b (b − a) ( 0 -1)

 −1  −1
 ( s) d q , s  (b −  0 ) ( 0 − a) q (  )q ( )
a (b − a) (0 -2)
−1
   (b− 0  q ( s))(0 -2) ( 0  q ( s) − a) (0 -1) d q , s  .
b

 a 
IV. APPLICATIONS TO EIGENVALUE PROBLEMS
In this section, we present some applications of the obtained results to eigenvalue problems.
Corollary 4.1. Let  be an eigenvalue of the problem

 a Dq, ( p ( a Dq, u (t ))) +  p (u (t )) = 0, 0  t  1,


 (4.1)
 
 u (0) = Dq , u (0) = Dq , u (1) = 0, a Dq , u (0)= a Dq , u (1) = 0,


where 2    3 , 1    2 , and p  1 . Then

p −1
q (2 )  q ( )q ( + 1) 
    . (4.2)
q (  )  q ( − 1) 

Proof Let  be an eigenvalue of (4.1). Then there exists a nontrivial solution u = u  to (4.1). Using

Theorem 3.1 with ( a, b) = (0,1) and  (s) =  , we obtain

1
  (1−   q ( s))(  -.1) (   q ( s)) (  -1) d q , s
0 0 0
0
(1 − 0) ( 0 -.1)  1
 
1− p
 .
(1 − 0) (0 -.2)  0
p −1 ( - 2) ( -1)
 q (  ) q ( )  (1− 
0 q ( s )) 0 . ( 
0 q ( s )) 0 . d q , s

Observe that
1
 (1−  
0 0 q ( s ))( 0 -.1) ( 0  q ( s )) (  -1) d q , s = Bq (  ,  ) ,
and
1
 (1−  
0 0 q ( s ))(0 -.2) ( 0  q ( s ))(0 -.1) d q , s = Bq ( - 1, ) ,

Where Bq is the beta function defined by?

B q ( x, y ) = 
1

0
( 0  q ( s) )x −1 (1−   q ( s) )y −1 d q , s, x, y  0.
0

Using the identity

q ( x)q ( y)
Bq ( x, y) = ,
q ( x + y)
We get the desired result. 

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 Lyapunov-type inequalities for a fractional q,  -difference…

Corollary 4.2. Let  be an eigenvalue of the problem

 a Dq, ( a Dq, u (t )) + u (t ) = 0, 0  t 1


 
 u (0) = Dq , u (0) = Dq , u (1) = 0, a Dq , u (0)= a Dq , u (1) = 0,


where 2    3 , 1    2 , and p = 2 . Then

q (2 ) q ( )q ( + 1)
  .
q (  ) q ( − 1)

Proof It follows from inequality (4.2) by taking p = 2 .

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