Investigation of the Oscillatory Properties of Fourth-Order Delay Differential Equations Using a Comparison Approach with First- and Second-Order Equations

This paper investigates the oscillatory behavior of solutions to fourth-order functional differential equations (FDEs) with multiple delays and a middle term. By employing a different comparison method approach with lower-order equations, the study introduces enhanced oscillation criteria. A key strength of the proposed method is its ability to reduce the complexity of the fourth-order equation by converting it into first- and second-order forms, allowing for the application of well-established oscillation theories. This approach not only extends existing criteria to higher-order FDEs but also offers more efficient and broadly applicable results. Detailed comparisons with previous research confirm the method's effectiveness and broader relevance while demonstrating the feasibility and significance of our results as an expansion and improvement of previous results.