Paper 4, Section II, A

Dynamical Systems
Part II, 2021

(a) A continuous map FF of an interval into itself has a periodic orbit of period 3 . Prove that FF also has periodic orbits of period nn for all positive integers nn.

(b) What is the minimum number of distinct orbits of FF of periods 2,4 and 5 ? Explain your reasoning with a directed graph. [Formal proof is not required.]

(c) Consider the piecewise linear map F:[0,1][0,1]F:[0,1] \rightarrow[0,1] defined by linear segments between F(0)=12,F(12)=1F(0)=\frac{1}{2}, F\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)=1 and F(1)=0F(1)=0. Calculate the orbits of periods 2,4 and 5 that are obtained from the directed graph in part (b).

[In part (a) you may assume without proof:

(i) If UU and VV are non-empty closed bounded intervals such that VF(U)V \subseteq F(U) then there is a closed bounded interval KUK \subseteq U such that F(K)=VF(K)=V.

(ii) The Intermediate Value Theorem.]