Paper 4, Section II, A
Part II, 2021
(a) A continuous map of an interval into itself has a periodic orbit of period 3 . Prove that also has periodic orbits of period for all positive integers .
(b) What is the minimum number of distinct orbits of of periods 2,4 and 5 ? Explain your reasoning with a directed graph. [Formal proof is not required.]
(c) Consider the piecewise linear map defined by linear segments between and . 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 and are non-empty closed bounded intervals such that then there is a closed bounded interval such that .
(ii) The Intermediate Value Theorem.]