Lesson 7: Iteration and Stability restart; with(plots):

We were looking at the logistic map, with various values of the parameter LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEickYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic=. g:= x -> r*(x - x^2); r:= 2.5; Iteration starts out with a particular LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIn5GJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRicvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHRj0vJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGPS8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGPS8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRj0vJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0Y9LyUnYWNjZW50R0Y9LyUnbHNwYWNlR1EmMC4wZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdGTEY5value LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYlLUkjbW5HRiQ2JFEiMEYnL0Y2USdub3JtYWxGJ0YyRjUvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdGPUY+ and repeatedly applies the function LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= to it, so we get a sequence 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

If the sequence has a limit, that limit must be a fixed point of LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic=: a value LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= such that LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYpLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JKG1mZW5jZWRHRiQ2JC1GIzYkLUYsNiVRInBGJ0YvRjIvRjNRJ25vcm1hbEYnRj0tSSNtb0dGJDYtUSJ+RidGPS8lJmZlbmNlR1EmZmFsc2VGJy8lKnNlcGFyYXRvckdGRS8lKXN0cmV0Y2h5R0ZFLyUqc3ltbWV0cmljR0ZFLyUobGFyZ2VvcEdGRS8lLm1vdmFibGVsaW1pdHNHRkUvJSdhY2NlbnRHRkUvJSdsc3BhY2VHUSYwLjBlbUYnLyUncnNwYWNlR0ZULUZANi1RIj1GJ0Y9RkNGRkZIRkpGTEZORlAvRlNRLDAuMjc3Nzc3OGVtRicvRlZGZW5GP0Y6Rj0=. But not all fixed points are easy to attain this way. The ones that are, are attractors. A fixed point LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= of LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= is stable if for every LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEtJnZhcmVwc2lsb247RicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdub3JtYWxGJ0Yy > 0 there is LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEoJmRlbHRhO0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EmZmFsc2VGJy8lLG1hdGh2YXJpYW50R1Enbm9ybWFsRidGMg== > 0 such that whenever 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, all LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2Ji1JKG1mZW5jZWRHRiQ2KC1GIzYmLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUYsNiVRInhGJy8lJ2l0YWxpY0dRJXRydWVGJy8lLG1hdGh2YXJpYW50R1EnaXRhbGljRictRiM2JC1GLDYlUSJuRidGPEY/L0ZAUSdub3JtYWxGJy8lL3N1YnNjcmlwdHNoaWZ0R1EiMEYnLUkjbW9HRiQ2LVEoJm1pbnVzO0YnRkcvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHRlIvJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGUi8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGUi8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRlIvJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0ZSLyUnYWNjZW50R0ZSLyUnbHNwYWNlR1EsMC4yMjIyMjIyZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdGW28tRiw2JVEicEYnRjxGP0ZHRkcvSSttc2VtYW50aWNzR0YkUSRhYnNGJy8lJW9wZW5HUSkmdmVyYmFyO0YnLyUmY2xvc2VHRmZvRmFvLUZNNi1RIjxGJ0ZHRlBGU0ZVRldGWUZlbkZnbi9Gam5RLDAuMjc3Nzc3OGVtRicvRl1vRl1wLUYsNiVRLSZ2YXJlcHNpbG9uO0YnL0Y9RlJGR0ZHRitGRw==. That is, we can guarantee that LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYkLUYvNiVRIm5GJ0YyRjUvRjZRJ25vcm1hbEYnLyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHUSIwRidGPQ== always stays close to LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= by taking the starting point LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYkLUkjbW5HRiQ2JFEiMEYnL0Y2USdub3JtYWxGJ0Y+LyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHRj1GPg== sufficiently close to LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic=. A fixed point that is not stable is unstable. A stable fixed point LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= is an attractor if 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 as LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2Ji1GLDYlUSJuRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUkjbW9HRiQ2LVEnJnJhcnI7RicvRjhRJ25vcm1hbEYnLyUmZmVuY2VHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUqc2VwYXJhdG9yR0ZCLyUpc3RyZXRjaHlHRkIvJSpzeW1tZXRyaWNHRkIvJShsYXJnZW9wR0ZCLyUubW92YWJsZWxpbWl0c0dGQi8lJ2FjY2VudEdGQi8lJ2xzcGFjZUdRJjAuMGVtRicvJSdyc3BhY2VHRlEtRiw2JVEoJmluZmluO0YnRjRGN0Y+RitGPg== whenever LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYkLUkjbW5HRiQ2JFEiMEYnL0Y2USdub3JtYWxGJ0Y+LyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHRj1GPg== is sufficiently close to LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic=. JSFH An unstable fixed point LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= is a repeller if there exist positive numbers LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEnJiM5NDg7RicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdub3JtYWxGJ0Yy and \316\265 such that, whenever LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYrLUkjbW5HRiQ2JFEiMEYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdub3JtYWxGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIn5GJ0YvLyUmZmVuY2VHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUqc2VwYXJhdG9yR0Y4LyUpc3RyZXRjaHlHRjgvJSpzeW1tZXRyaWNHRjgvJShsYXJnZW9wR0Y4LyUubW92YWJsZWxpbWl0c0dGOC8lJ2FjY2VudEdGOC8lJ2xzcGFjZUdRJjAuMGVtRicvJSdyc3BhY2VHRkctRjM2LVEiPEYnRi9GNkY5RjtGPUY/RkFGQy9GRlEsMC4yNzc3Nzc4ZW1GJy9GSUZOLUkobWZlbmNlZEdGJDYmLUYjNiYtSSVtc3ViR0YkNiUtSSNtaUdGJDYlUSJ4RicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvRjBRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiRGK0YvLyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHRi4tRjM2LVEoJm1pbnVzO0YnRi9GNkY5RjtGPUY/RkFGQy9GRlEsMC4yMjIyMjIyZW1GJy9GSUZjby1GWTYlUSJwRidGZm5GaW5GL0YvLyUlb3BlbkdRInxnckYnLyUmY2xvc2VHRmpvRjJGSkYyLUZZNiVRJyYjOTQ4O0YnL0ZnbkY4Ri9GLw==, there is some n for which 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. That is, whenever you start close enough to p (but not exactly at p), eventually you move a certain distance away from p. The main way to tell whether a fixed point LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= is an attractor or a repeller is by looking at LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2Ji1GLDYlUSNnJ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RMCZBcHBseUZ1bmN0aW9uO0YnL0Y4USdub3JtYWxGJy8lJmZlbmNlR1EmZmFsc2VGJy8lKnNlcGFyYXRvckdGQi8lKXN0cmV0Y2h5R0ZCLyUqc3ltbWV0cmljR0ZCLyUobGFyZ2VvcEdGQi8lLm1vdmFibGVsaW1pdHNHRkIvJSdhY2NlbnRHRkIvJSdsc3BhY2VHUSYwLjBlbUYnLyUncnNwYWNlR0ZRLUkobWZlbmNlZEdGJDYkLUYjNiQtRiw2JVEicEYnRjRGN0Y+Rj5GPkYrRj4=. Theorem: A fixed point LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= of a differentiable function LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= is an attractor if LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2Ji1JKG1mZW5jZWRHRiQ2KC1GIzYmLUYsNiVRI2cnRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUkjbW9HRiQ2LVEwJkFwcGx5RnVuY3Rpb247RicvRj1RJ25vcm1hbEYnLyUmZmVuY2VHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUqc2VwYXJhdG9yR0ZHLyUpc3RyZXRjaHlHRkcvJSpzeW1tZXRyaWNHRkcvJShsYXJnZW9wR0ZHLyUubW92YWJsZWxpbWl0c0dGRy8lJ2FjY2VudEdGRy8lJ2xzcGFjZUdRJjAuMGVtRicvJSdyc3BhY2VHRlYtRjI2JC1GIzYkLUYsNiVRInBGJ0Y5RjxGQ0ZDRkNGQy9JK21zZW1hbnRpY3NHRiRRJGFic0YnLyUlb3BlbkdRKSZ2ZXJiYXI7RicvJSZjbG9zZUdGX29Gam4tRkA2LVEiPEYnRkNGRUZIRkpGTEZORlBGUi9GVVEsMC4yNzc3Nzc4ZW1GJy9GWEZmby1JI21uR0YkNiRRIjFGJ0ZDRkNGK0ZD. It is a repeller if 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 > 1 . If 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, it could be an attractor or a repeller or neither; we need more information to decide which. In our example: D(g)(0); D(g)(0.6); This confirms that 0 is a repeller and 0.6 is an attractor.

JSFH A cobweb diagram (or staircase diagram) is a way of visualizing what's going on here. We start with the graphs of 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 and LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JkYrLUYjNiYtRiw2JVEieUYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIj1GJy9GOlEnbm9ybWFsRicvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHRkQvJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGRC8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGRC8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRkQvJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0ZELyUnYWNjZW50R0ZELyUnbHNwYWNlR1EsMC4yNzc3Nzc4ZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdGUy1GLDYlUSJ4RidGNkY5RkBGK0ZARitGQA==, which intersect at the fixed points. Then, given any LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYlLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYlLUkjbW5HRiQ2JFEiMEYnL0Y2USdub3JtYWxGJ0YyRjUvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdGPS1GLzYjUSFGJ0Y+ and LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEibkYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic=, I plot lines joining the points 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, ...., 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. Each step of this staircase goes from a point 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 on the diagonal LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieUYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIj1GJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRicvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHRj0vJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGPS8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGPS8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRj0vJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0Y9LyUnYWNjZW50R0Y9LyUnbHNwYWNlR1EsMC4yNzc3Nzc4ZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdGTC1GLDYlUSJ4RidGL0YyRjk= vertically to LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkobWZlbmNlZEdGJDYmLUYjNictSSNtaUdGJDYlUSJ4RicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUkjbW9HRiQ2LVEiLEYnL0Y4USdub3JtYWxGJy8lJmZlbmNlR1EmZmFsc2VGJy8lKnNlcGFyYXRvckdGNi8lKXN0cmV0Y2h5R0ZCLyUqc3ltbWV0cmljR0ZCLyUobGFyZ2VvcEdGQi8lLm1vdmFibGVsaW1pdHNHRkIvJSdhY2NlbnRHRkIvJSdsc3BhY2VHUSYwLjBlbUYnLyUncnNwYWNlR1EsMC4zMzMzMzMzZW1GJy1GMTYlUSJnRidGNEY3LUYsNiQtRiM2JEYwRj5GPkY+Rj4vJSVvcGVuR1EiW0YnLyUmY2xvc2VHUSJdRidGPg== on the curve LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYnLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieUYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIj1GJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRicvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHRj0vJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGPS8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGPS8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRj0vJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0Y9LyUnYWNjZW50R0Y9LyUnbHNwYWNlR1EsMC4yNzc3Nzc4ZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdGTC1GLDYlUSJnRidGL0YyLUkobWZlbmNlZEdGJDYkLUYjNiQtRiw2JVEieEYnRi9GMkY5RjlGOQ==, then horizontally to 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 on the diagonal. I'll also plot the first point of the staircase in green and the last point in red, so you can tell which direction it's going.JSFH The basic building block is a function I'll call stair that takes x and produces the sequence of points LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYnLUkobWZlbmNlZEdGJDYmLUYjNiYtSSNtaUdGJDYlUSJ4RicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUkjbW9HRiQ2LVEiLEYnL0Y4USdub3JtYWxGJy8lJmZlbmNlR1EmZmFsc2VGJy8lKnNlcGFyYXRvckdGNi8lKXN0cmV0Y2h5R0ZCLyUqc3ltbWV0cmljR0ZCLyUobGFyZ2VvcEdGQi8lLm1vdmFibGVsaW1pdHNHRkIvJSdhY2NlbnRHRkIvJSdsc3BhY2VHUSYwLjBlbUYnLyUncnNwYWNlR1EsMC4zMzMzMzMzZW1GJ0YwRj5GPi8lJW9wZW5HUSJbRicvJSZjbG9zZUdRIl1GJ0Y6LUYsNiYtRiM2J0YwRjotRjE2JVEiZ0YnRjRGNy1GLDYkLUYjNiRGMEY+Rj5GPkY+RlVGWC1GMTYjUSFGJ0Y+. stair:= x -> ([x,x],[x,g(x)]); Here's the main function staircase for making the picture. staircase:= proc(x0, a, b, n) local x, count, Curves, Staircase,Dots; uses plots; Curves:= plot([x,g(x)],x=a..b, colour=[red,blue]); x[0]:= x0; for count from 1 to n-1 do x[count]:= g(x[count-1]) end do; Staircase:= plot([seq(stair(x[j]),j=0..n-1)],colour=black); Dots:= plot([[x[0],x[0]]],style=point,symbol=solidcircle,colour=green), plot([[x[n-1],g(x[n-1])]],style=point,symbol=solidcircle,colour=red); display([Curves, Staircase,Dots]); end proc; The procedure definition starts with proc. Previously we used -> to define functions, but when there will be more than one Maple statement in the procedure we need to use proc. After proc come the names of the inputs to the procedure, within parentheses. These will be x0 (the starting value), a and b (the endpoints of the interval on which we'll plot the curves) and n. The next line declares local variables x, count, Curves, Staircase: these will belong to the procedure, and will not interfere with variables of the same name outside the procedure. The uses statement in the next line is a replacement for with, which doesn't work well inside procedures. The first statement in the main body of the procedure plots the curves LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JkYrLUYjNiYtRiw2JVEieUYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIj1GJy9GOlEnbm9ybWFsRicvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHRkQvJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGRC8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGRC8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRkQvJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0ZELyUnYWNjZW50R0ZELyUnbHNwYWNlR1EsMC4yNzc3Nzc4ZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdGUy1GLDYlUSJ4RidGNkY5RkBGK0ZARitGQA== and 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 for x from a to b. Next we start with 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 and compute LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJ4RicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSIxRicvRjtRJ25vcm1hbEYnRkMvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0ZDRitGQw== to 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 using a for loop. We use those values to plot the "staircase". We use plot with style=point and symbol=solidcircle to plot the first and last points in green and red. Finally, we use display to combine the plots of the curves, the staircase and the dots. The result of the procedure will be the result of its last statement (the display command). The procedure definition is ended with end proc. If you start near an attractor LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= where 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, the staircase looks like this, with a staircase approaching the attractor. In this case LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIj1GJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRicvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHRj0vJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGPS8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGPS8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRj0vJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0Y9LyUnYWNjZW50R0Y9LyUnbHNwYWNlR1EsMC4yNzc3Nzc4ZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdGTC1JI21uR0YkNiRRIjBGJ0Y5Rjk=. g:= x -> x^2 + x/2; staircase(-0.1, -0.2, 0.2, 10); Or starting on the right side of the attractor: staircase(0.15,-0.2,0.2,10); If you start near a repeller with 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, it looks like this, with the staircase moving away from the repeller. In this case LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYoLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEicEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIn5GJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRicvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHRj0vJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGPS8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGPS8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRj0vJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0Y9LyUnYWNjZW50R0Y9LyUnbHNwYWNlR1EmMC4wZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdGTC1GNjYtUSI9RidGOUY7Rj5GQEZCRkRGRkZIL0ZLUSwwLjI3Nzc3NzhlbUYnL0ZORlNGNS1JI21uR0YkNiRRJDAuNUYnRjlGOQ==. staircase(0.48, 0.1, 0.9, 10); Or on the other side: staircase(0.52, 0.1, 0.9, 10); Oops, the staircase went too far away. We might have used the view option in the display command to prevent this. display(%, view=[0.1 .. 0.9, g(0.1) .. g(0.9)]); In the case of an attractor with 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, the staircase becomes a spiral (this is where the term "cobweb" comes in). g:= x -> -x^2 - x/2; staircase(-0.15, -0.2, 0.2, 10); Similarly for a repeller with 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, it spirals outwards. g:= x -> -x^2 - 3/2*x; staircase(-.01,-1,1,12); Back to our LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic=: we can get an idea of why every initial point in the interval LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYlLUkobWZlbmNlZEdGJDYkLUYjNiYtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSIwRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ25vcm1hbEYnLUkjbW9HRiQ2LVEiLEYnRjQvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHUSV0cnVlRicvJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGPS8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGPS8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRj0vJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0Y9LyUnYWNjZW50R0Y9LyUnbHNwYWNlR1EmMC4wZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdRLDAuMzMzMzMzM2VtRictRjE2JFEiMUYnRjRGNEY0LUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRidGNA== is attracted to the fixed point 0.6. g:= x -> r*(x - x^2); r:= 2.5; staircase(0.95, -0.1, 1, 20);

Next we tried another value of the parameter r. r := 3.2; solve(g(x)=x); D(g)(0), D(g)(0.6875); This time both fixed points 0 and 0.6875 are repellers. So what will happen when we iterate? I'll start near 0.6875 and draw the cobweb diagram with 50 steps. staircase(0.7,0.4,0.9,50); The cobweb seems to be approaching a rectangle. The LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= values at the two sides of the rectangle, say LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiYkYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= and LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiY0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic=, have the property that 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 and 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. This constitutes a cycle of period 2. If you started the iteration at one of the points of the cycle, LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJ4RicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtRiw2JVEibkYnRjdGOi9GO1Enbm9ybWFsRicvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0ZCRitGQg== would alternate between these forever: say 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, LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JkYrLUYjNiYtSSVtc3ViR0YkNiUtRiw2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYkLUkjbW5HRiQ2JFEiMUYnL0Y9USdub3JtYWxGJ0ZFLyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHUSIwRictSSNtb0dGJDYtUSI9RidGRS8lJmZlbmNlR1EmZmFsc2VGJy8lKnNlcGFyYXRvckdGUC8lKXN0cmV0Y2h5R0ZQLyUqc3ltbWV0cmljR0ZQLyUobGFyZ2VvcEdGUC8lLm1vdmFibGVsaW1pdHNHRlAvJSdhY2NlbnRHRlAvJSdsc3BhY2VHUSwwLjI3Nzc3NzhlbUYnLyUncnNwYWNlR0Zpbi1GLDYlUSJjRidGOUY8RkVGK0ZFRitGRQ==, 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, 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, etc. We also tried plotting the points 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 X[0]:= 0.7: for count from 1 to 50 do X[count] := g(X[count-1]) end do: plot([seq([i,X[i]],i=0..50)], style=point); To find b and c, we could solve the two equations 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 and 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 for b and c: solve({g(b)=c, g(c)=b},{b,c}); Notice that two of the solutions have b and c both equal to a fixed point, the other two have b and c interchanged. Another way to do it would be to solve the one equation 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. s:= fsolve(g(g(x))=x); The two fixed points and the points b and c are all fixed points of the composition of the function with itself, which in mathematics might be written as LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RKSZjb21wZm47RicvRjNRJ25vcm1hbEYnLyUmZmVuY2VHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUqc2VwYXJhdG9yR0Y9LyUpc3RyZXRjaHlHRj0vJSpzeW1tZXRyaWNHRj0vJShsYXJnZW9wR0Y9LyUubW92YWJsZWxpbWl0c0dGPS8lJ2FjY2VudEdGPS8lJ2xzcGFjZUdRLDAuMTY2NjY2N2VtRicvJSdyc3BhY2VHRkxGK0Y5, or in Maple input as g @ g. b := s[2]; c:= s[4]; As fixed points of LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RKSZjb21wZm47RicvRjNRJ25vcm1hbEYnLyUmZmVuY2VHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUqc2VwYXJhdG9yR0Y9LyUpc3RyZXRjaHlHRj0vJSpzeW1tZXRyaWNHRj0vJShsYXJnZW9wR0Y9LyUubW92YWJsZWxpbWl0c0dGPS8lJ2FjY2VudEdGPS8lJ2xzcGFjZUdRLDAuMTY2NjY2N2VtRicvJSdyc3BhY2VHRkxGK0Y5, are they attractors or repellers? D(g@g)(b), D(g@g)(c); The absolute values are less than 1, so these are attractors. Is it a coincidence that those two derivatives are the same? Think of the chain rule (or ask Maple): D(G @ G)(x); eval(%, {x = B, G(x) = C}); eval(%%, {x = C, G(x) = B}); D(g@g)(b) = D(g)(b)*D(g)(c); If LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYkLUkjbW5HRiQ2JFEiMEYnL0Y2USdub3JtYWxGJ0Y+LyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHRj1GPg== is close enough to one of the points on the cycle (say LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiYkYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic=), then as LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2Ji1GLDYlUSJuRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUkjbW9HRiQ2LVEnJnJhcnI7RicvRjhRJ25vcm1hbEYnLyUmZmVuY2VHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUqc2VwYXJhdG9yR0ZCLyUpc3RyZXRjaHlHRkIvJSpzeW1tZXRyaWNHRkIvJShsYXJnZW9wR0ZCLyUubW92YWJsZWxpbWl0c0dGQi8lJ2FjY2VudEdGQi8lJ2xzcGFjZUdRJjAuMGVtRicvJSdyc3BhY2VHRlEtRiw2JVEoJmluZmluO0YnRjRGN0Y+RitGPg== the even-numbered LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEieEYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYkLUYvNiVRIm5GJ0YyRjUvRjZRJ25vcm1hbEYnLyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHUSIwRidGPQ== approach LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiYkYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= and the odd-numbered ones approach LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiY0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic=. staircase(0.55, 0.4, 0.9, 10); We say that LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= has an attracting 2-cycle. A 2-cycle (LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JkYrLUYjNiYtRiw2JVEiYkYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIixGJy9GOlEnbm9ybWFsRicvJSZmZW5jZUdRJmZhbHNlRicvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHRjgvJSlzdHJldGNoeUdGRC8lKnN5bW1ldHJpY0dGRC8lKGxhcmdlb3BHRkQvJS5tb3ZhYmxlbGltaXRzR0ZELyUnYWNjZW50R0ZELyUnbHNwYWNlR1EmMC4wZW1GJy8lJ3JzcGFjZUdRLDAuMzMzMzMzM2VtRictRiw2JVEiY0YnRjZGOUZARitGQEYrRkA=) is an attractor if 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, a repeller if 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

More generally, an n-cycle is a sequence of n different numbers 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, ..., LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJiRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtRiw2JVEibkYnRjdGOi9GO1Enbm9ybWFsRicvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0ZCRitGQg== such that 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, 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, ..., 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. Each member of an n-cycle is said to be a periodic point of period n. These points will be fixed points of 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 (with n g's), so we might find them by solving 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. In Maple input, 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 can be written as g @@ n, which in Maple output would be g@@n; To test whether the n-cycle is an attractor or a repeller, we can check 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 for any of the LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiYkYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYkLUYvNiVRImpGJ0YyRjUvRjZRJ25vcm1hbEYnLyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHUSIwRidGPQ==, which will be the product of all the 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 in the cycle. If the absolute value of the result is < 1, it's an attractor; if > 1, it's a repeller. For example, try r:= 3.5; s:= fsolve((g@@2)(x)=x); g(s[2]); g(s[4]); g(s[3]); So the 2-cycle is [LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEic0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21uR0YkNiRRIjJGJy9GNlEnbm9ybWFsRicvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0Y8, LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYlLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEic0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21uR0YkNiRRIjRGJy9GNlEnbm9ybWFsRicvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJy1JI21vR0YkNi1RIl1GJ0Y8LyUmZmVuY2VHRjQvJSpzZXBhcmF0b3JHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUpc3RyZXRjaHlHRjQvJSpzeW1tZXRyaWNHRkkvJShsYXJnZW9wR0ZJLyUubW92YWJsZWxpbWl0c0dGSS8lJ2FjY2VudEdGSS8lJ2xzcGFjZUdRLDAuMTY2NjY2N2VtRicvJSdyc3BhY2VHUSwwLjExMTExMTFlbUYnRjw=, while LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2Ji1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJzRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUkjbW5HRiQ2JFEiMUYnL0Y7USdub3JtYWxGJy8lL3N1YnNjcmlwdHNoaWZ0R1EiMEYnLUkjbW9HRiQ2LVEpJmVxdWFscztGJ0ZBLyUmZmVuY2VHUSZmYWxzZUYnLyUqc2VwYXJhdG9yR0ZMLyUpc3RyZXRjaHlHRkwvJSpzeW1tZXRyaWNHRkwvJShsYXJnZW9wR0ZMLyUubW92YWJsZWxpbWl0c0dGTC8lJ2FjY2VudEdGTC8lJ2xzcGFjZUdRLDAuMjc3Nzc3OGVtRicvJSdyc3BhY2VHRmVuLUY+NiRGRUZBRkFGK0ZB and LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEic0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JI21uR0YkNiRRIjNGJy9GNlEnbm9ybWFsRicvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0Y8 are fixed points. D(g@g)(s[2]); D(g)(s[1]); D(g)(s[3]); So the 2-cycle and fixed points here are repellers. What will the cobweb diagram look like? staircase(0.7, 0.3, 0.9, 50); It looks like the attractor here is a 4-cycle. To find it, it's best to increase Digits, because LUklbXN1cEc2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1JKG1mZW5jZWRHRiQ2JC1JJW1yb3dHRiQ2JC1JI21uR0YkNiRRIjRGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRidGP0Y/LyUxc3VwZXJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJw== is a rather complicated function. Digits:= 15; s:= fsolve((g@@4)(x)=x); seq((g@@j)(s[2]),j=1..4); So we have a 4-cycle: [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]. staircase(s[2],0.3,0.9,5); D(g@@4)(s[2]); And it is an attractor.

It's sometimes tedious to count the number of items in an expression sequence by hand (it may be difficult sometimes to spot the commas if the items are complicated, or there may be lots of items). The nops command can help. It returns the number of items in a list or set (or more generally, number of operands in any structure). Here I'll put s into a list (because nops wouldn't work on an expression sequence) and count how many members it has. nops([s]);

One more value of r: r := 3.8; staircase(0.7,0.1,1.0,200); X[0]:= 0.7: for count from 1 to 1000 do X[count] := g(X[count-1]) end do: plot([seq([i,X[i]],i=0..1000)],style=point); There's no sign of a periodic pattern. This is an example of chaos. There are cycles for this function, but they are repellers. Let's try finding a 5-cycle. s:= fsolve((g@@5)(x)=x, x = 0 .. 1); This is a strange result: Maple just found 3 solutions with Digits = 15 when I tried it on my computer: your results may vary. There should be two fixed points, and any more solutions would have to come in fives. The culprit may be roundoff error. I'll try increasing Digits. Digits:= 30: s:= fsolve((g@@5)(x)=x, x = 0 .. 1); nops([s]); This time there are 12 solutions: two fixed points and, presumably, two 5-cycles. If I calculate the derivative of LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYlLUklbXN1cEdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiZ0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYkLUkobWZlbmNlZEdGJDYkLUYjNiQtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSI1RicvRjZRJ25vcm1hbEYnRkNGQ0ZDLyUxc3VwZXJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJy1GLzYjUSFGJ0ZD at each of these points, it should not only tell us whether the cycles are attractors or repellers, it should also help us to see which are the points of the 5-cycles, because the derivative should be the same at each point on a 5-cycle. seq(D(g@@5)(s[j]),j=1..12); But which is which? It might help to see the index LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEiakYnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy9GM1Enbm9ybWFsRic= together with the value. seq([j, D(g@@5)(s[j])],j=1..12); All the numbers have absolute values greater than 1, so the fixed points and cycles are repellers. It looks like LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJzRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSIxRicvRjtRJ25vcm1hbEYnRkMvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0ZDRitGQw== and LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJzRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSI4RicvRjtRJ25vcm1hbEYnRkMvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0ZDRitGQw== (with derivative values about 792 and -19) are the fixed points; the 5-cycles are 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 (with derivative values about -9) and 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 (with derivative values about 11). To check: g(s[2]); That's approximately LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJzRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSI2RicvRjtRJ25vcm1hbEYnRkMvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0ZDRitGQw==. s[6] - %; g(s[6]); That's approximately LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJzRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSMxMEYnL0Y7USdub3JtYWxGJ0ZDLyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHUSIwRidGQ0YrRkM=. s[10] - %; g(s[10]); That's approximately LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJzRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSI0RicvRjtRJ25vcm1hbEYnRkMvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0ZDRitGQw==. s[4] - %; g(s[4]); That's approximately LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJzRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSMxMkYnL0Y7USdub3JtYWxGJ0ZDLyUvc3Vic2NyaXB0c2hpZnRHUSIwRidGQ0YrRkM=. s[12] - %; g(s[12]); And this is back to LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYmLUkjbWlHRiQ2I1EhRictRiM2JC1JJW1zdWJHRiQ2JS1GLDYlUSJzRicvJSdpdGFsaWNHUSV0cnVlRicvJSxtYXRodmFyaWFudEdRJ2l0YWxpY0YnLUYjNiQtSSNtbkdGJDYkUSIyRicvRjtRJ25vcm1hbEYnRkMvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0ZDRitGQw==. s[2] - %; staircase(s[2],0.1, 1.0, 6); But the cycle is a repeller, so if you start close to LUklbXJvd0c2Iy9JK21vZHVsZW5hbWVHNiJJLFR5cGVzZXR0aW5nR0koX3N5c2xpYkdGJzYkLUklbXN1YkdGJDYlLUkjbWlHRiQ2JVEic0YnLyUnaXRhbGljR1EldHJ1ZUYnLyUsbWF0aHZhcmlhbnRHUSdpdGFsaWNGJy1GIzYlLUkjbW5HRiQ2JFEiMkYnL0Y2USdub3JtYWxGJ0YyRjUvJS9zdWJzY3JpcHRzaGlmdEdRIjBGJ0Y+ you would move away eventually. staircase(s[2]+0.0001, 0.1, 1.0, 16);

view (option for plotting commands) proc ... end proc local uses style=point @ @@ nops