Linear Difference Equations with Polynomial Coefficients

This chapter presents methods for the solution of linear difference equations with polynomial coefficients and applications to two queueing models. The next section discusses the technique of depressing the order of a difference equation when at least one solution of the homogeneous equation is known. For the case of the second-order homogeneous equation, the use of Casorati’s determinant and Heymann’s theorem is shown to provide the second solution.