MA303

Chaos and Dynamical Systems

Exercises 5
1. Consider the logistic family of functions given by f (x) = x(1 x).
(a) For which values of does f have a cycle of prime period 2?
(b) For which values of is this 2-cycle attracting?
(c) Describe the bifurcations that occur when = 1 and = 3. Sketch the phase portraits near
these values of and provide a bifurcation diagram.

2. Consider the quadratic family of functions given by qc (x)= x2 + c. We have shown that
for c < 1/4 there is a repelling fixed point p+ (c) = 21 (1 + 1 4c) and an attracting fixed

point p (c) = 21 (1 1 4c). Show, without using graphical analysis, that for 0 c < 1/4
and x0 (p+ , p+ ) the orbit of x0 is forward asymptotic to p . (This is in fact true also for
c (3/4, 0), but more tricky to show.)

c LSE 2011 / MA303

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