Analytical Solution to a Third-Order Rational Difference Equation

Abstract

Inspired by some open conjectures in a rational dynamical system by G. Ladas and Palladino, in this paper, we consider the problem of solving a third-order difference equation. We comment the conjecture by Ladas. A third-order rational difference equation is solved analytically. The solution is compared with the solution to the linearized equation. We show that the solution to the linearized equation is not good, in general. The methods employed here may be used to solve other rational difference equations. The period of the solution is calculated. We illustrate the accuracy of the obtained solutions in concrete examples.