Sturm separation theorem

Sturm separation theorem

[¦stərm ‚sep·ə′rā·shən ‚thir·əm]

(mathematics)

The theorem that if u and v are real, linearly independent solutions of a second-order linear homogenous differential equation in which the coefficient of the second derivative is unity and the other two coefficients are continuous functions, then there is exactly one zero of u between any two zeros of v.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.