Level sets of the Takagi function: Hausdorff dimension

The Takagi function τ(x) is a continuous non-differentiable function on the unit interval defined by Takagi in 1903. This paper studies level sets L(y) = {x : τ(x) = y} of the Takagi function and bounds their Minkowski dimensions and Hausdorff dimensions above by 0.668. There exist level sets with Minkowski dimension 1/2. The method of proof involves a multiscale analysis that relies upon the self-similarity of τ(x) up to affine shifts.     

Equations fonctionnelles et estimations de normes de matrices

We solve independently the equations 1/θ(x)θ(y)=ψ(x)−ψ(y)+φ(x−y)/θ(x−y) and 1/θ(x)θ(y)=σ(x)−σ(y)/θ(x−y)+τ(x)τ(y), τ(0)=0. In both cases we find θ²=aθ⁴+bθ²+c. We deduce estimates for the spectral radius of a matrix of type(1/θ(x _r −x _s )) (the accent meaning that the coefficients of the main diagonal are zero) and we study the case where thex _r are equidistant.

Dédié to à Monsieur le Professeur Otto Haupt à l'occasion de son cententiare avec les meilleurs voeux     

Level sets of the Takagi function: local level sets

The Takagi function ??: [0,1] ?? [0, 1] is a continuous non-differentiable function constructed by Takagi in 1903. The level sets L(y)?=?{x : ??(x)?=?y} of the Takagi function ??(x) are studied by introducing a notion of local level set into which level sets are partitioned. Local level sets are simple to analyze, reducing questions to understanding the relation of level sets to local level sets, which is more complicated. It is known that for a ??generic?? full Lebesgue measure set of ordinates y, the level sets are finite sets. In contrast, here it is shown for a ??generic?? full Lebesgue measure set of abscissas x, the level set L(??(x)) is uncountable. An interesting singular monotone function is constructed associated to local level sets, and is used to show the expected number of local level sets at a random level y is exactly ${\frac{3}{2}}$ .     

Quadrature based collocation methods for integral equations of the first kind

Problem of solving integral equations of the first kind, ò_a^b k(s, t) x(t) dt = y(s), s ? [a, b]\int_a^b k(s, t) x(t)\, dt = y(s),\, s\in [a, b] arises in many of the inverse problems that appears in applications. The above problem is a prototype of an ill-posed problem. Thus, for obtaining stable approximate solutions based on noisy data, one has to rely on regularization methods. In practice, the noisy data may be based on a finite number of observations of y, say y(τ ₁), y(τ ₂), ..., y(τ _n ) for some τ ₁, ..., τ _n in [a, b]. In this paper, we consider approximations based on a collocation method when the nodes τ ₁, ..., τ _n are associated with a convergent quadrature rule. We shall also consider further regularization of the procedure and show that the derived error estimates are of the same order as in the case of Tikhonov regularization when there is no approximation of the integral operator is involved.     

Nonlocal initial-boundary-value problems for a degenerate hyperbolic equation

We consider the equation y ^m u _xx − u _yy − b ² y ^m u = 0 in the rectangular area {(x, y) | 0 < x < 1, 0 < y < T}, where m < 0, b ≥ 0, T > 0 are given real numbers. For this equation we study problems with initial conditions u(x, 0) = τ(x), u _y (x, 0) = ν(x), 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, and nonlocal boundary conditions u(0, y) = u(1, y), u _x (0, y) = 0 or u _x (0, y) = u _x (1, y), u(1, y) = 0 with 0≤y≤T. Using the method of spectral analysis, we prove the uniqueness and existence theorems for solutions to these problems     

On the Oscillation of Second Order Neutral Differential Equations of Emden-Fowler Type

Some oscillation criteria are established by the averaging technique for the second order neutral delay differential equation of Emden-Fowler type (a(t)x￠(t))￠+q₁(t)| y(t-s₁)|^a sgn y(t-s₁) +q₂(t)| y(t-s₂)|^b sgn y(t-s₂)=0,    t 3 t₀,(a(t)x'(t))'+q_1(t)| y(t-\sigma_1)|^{\alpha}\,{\rm sgn}\,y(t-\sigma_1) +q_2(t)| y(t-\sigma_2)|^{\beta}\,{\rm sgn}\,y(t-\sigma_2)=0,\quad t \ge t_0, where x(t) = y(t) + p(t)y(t − τ), τ, σ₁ and σ₂ are nonnegative constants, α > 0, β > 0, and a, p, q ₁, q₂ ? C([t₀, ￥), \Bbb R)q_2\in C([t_0, \infty), {\Bbb R}) . The results of this paper extend and improve some known results. In particular, two interesting examples that point out the importance of our theorems are also included.     

Strongly Closed Subgraphs in a Distance-Regular Graph with <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> > 1

Let Γ be a distance-regular graph of diameter d ≥ 3 with c ₂ > 1. Let m be an integer with 1 ≤ m ≤ d − 1. We consider the following conditions:

The period function of a delay differential equation and an application

We consider the delay differential equation [(x)\dot](t) = - mx(t) + f(x(t - t))\dot x(t) = - \mu x(t) + f(x(t - \tau )), where μ, τ are positive parameters and f is a strictly monotone, nonlinear C ¹-function satisfying f(0) = 0 and some convexity properties. It is well known that for prescribed oscillation frequencies (characterized by the values of a discrete Lyapunov functional) there exists τ* > 0 such that for every τ > τ* there is a unique periodic solution. The period function is the minimal period of the unique periodic solution as a function of τ > τ*. First we show that it is a monotone nondecreasing Lipschitz continuous function of τ with Lipschitz constant 2. As an application of our theorem we give a new proof of some recent results of Yi, Chen and Wu [14] about uniqueness and existence of periodic solutions of a system of delay differential equations.     

A Generalized Cubic Functional Equation

In this paper, we determine the general solution of the functional equation f1 （2x ＋ y） ＋ f2（2x - y） = f3（x ＋ y） ＋ f4（x - y） ＋ f5（x） without assuming any regularity condition on the unknown functions f1,f2,f3, f4, f5 ： R→R. The general solution of this equation is obtained by finding the general solution of the functional equations f（2x ＋ y） ＋ f（2x - y） = g（x ＋ y） ＋ g（x - y） ＋ h（x） and f（2x ＋ y） - f（2x - y） = g（x ＋ y） - g（x - y）. The method used for solving these functional equations is elementary but exploits an important result due to Hosszfi. The solution of this functional equation can also be determined in certain type of groups using two important results due to Szekelyhidi.     

On the polynomial limit cycles of polynomial differential equations

In this paper we deal with ordinary differential equations of the form dy/dx = P(x, y) where P(x, y) is a real polynomial in the variables x and y, of degree n in the variable y. If y = φ(x) is a solution of this equation defined for x ∈ [0, 1] and which satisfies φ(0) = φ(1), we say that it is a periodic orbit. A limit cycle is an isolated periodic orbit in the set of all periodic orbits. If φ(x) is a polynomial, then φ(x) is called a polynomial solution.     

On the values of the divisor function

For a positive integer n we let τ(n) denote the number of its positive divisors. In this paper, we obtain lower and upper bounds for the average value of the ratio τ(n + 1)/τ(n) as n ranges through positive integers in the interval [1,x]. We also study the cardinality of the sets {τ(p − 1) : p ≤ x prime} and {τ(2ⁿ − 1) : n ≤ x}. Authors’ addresses: Florian Luca, Instituto de Matemáticas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma'de'México, C.P. 58089, Morelia, Michoacán, México; Igor E. Shparlinski, Department of Computing, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia     

Distance-Regular Graph with <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> > 1 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis><Subscript>1</Subscript> = 0 < <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript>

Let Γ be a distance-regular graph of diameter d ≥ 3 with c ₂ > 1. Let m be an integer with 1 ≤ m ≤ d − 1. We consider the following conditions:

ON THE UNIFORM CONSISTENCY OF THEKAPLAN-MEIER ESTIMATOR UNDER HEAVY CENSORING

Let X,i.i.d. and Y1i. i.d. be two sequences of random variables with unknown distribution functions F(x) and G(y) respectively. X, are censored by Y1. In this paper we study the uniform consistency of the Kaplan-Meier estimator under the case ey=sup(t:F(t)＜1)＞to=sup(t2G(t)＜1) The sufficient condition is discussed.     

Groups whose nonlinear irreducible characters separate element orders or conjugacy class sizes

A class function φ on a finite group G is said to be an order separator if, for every x and y in G \ {1}, φ(x) = φ(y) is equivalent to x and y being of the same order. Similarly, φ is said to be a class-size separator if, for every x and y in G\ {1}, φ(x) = φ(y) is equivalent to |C _G (x)| = |C _G (y)|. In this paper, finite groups whose nonlinear irreducible complex characters are all order separators (respectively, class-size separators) are classified. In fact, a more general setting is studied, from which these classifications follow. This analysis has some connections with the study of finite groups such that every two elements lying in distinct conjugacy classes have distinct orders, or, respectively, in which disctinct conjugacy classes have distinct sizes. Received: 10 April 2007     

Comparison theorems for the third order trinomial differential equations with delay argument

In this paper we study asymptotic properties of the third order trinomial delay differential equation (*) y‴(t) − p(t)y′(t) + g(t)y(τ(t)) = 0 by transforming this equation to the binomial canonical equation. The results obtained essentially improve known results in the literature. On the other hand, the set of comparison principles obtained permits to extend immediately asymptotic criteria from ordinary to delay equations. Research was supported by S.G.A. No.1/003/09.     

Diameter and diametrical pairs of points in ultrametric spaces

Let F(X) be the set of finite nonempty subsets of a set X. We have found the necessary and sufficient conditions under which for a given function τ: F(X) → ℝ there is an ultrametric on X such that τ(A) = diamA for every A ∈ F(X). For finite nondegenerate ultrametric spaces (X, d) it is shown that X together with the subset of diametrical pairs of points of X forms a complete k-partite graph, k ⩾ 2, and, conversely, every finite complete k-partite graph with k ⩾ 2 can be obtained by this way. We use this result to characterize the finite ultrametric spaces (X, d) having the minimal card{(x, y): d(x, y) = diamX, x, y ∈ X} for given card X.     

Barrier strips and positive solutions of first order singular and regular initial value problems

We use the barrier strip method to prove sufficient conditions for the global solvability of the initial value problem f(t, x, x′) = 0, x(0) = A, including the case in which the function (t, x, y) → f(t, x, y) has a singularity at x = A.     

Oscillation of second-order linear delay differential equations

The aim of this paper is to derive sufficient conditions for the linear delay differential equation (r(t)y′(t))′ + p(t)y(τ(t)) = 0 to be oscillatory by using a generalization of the Lagrange mean-value theorem, the Riccati differential inequality and the Sturm comparison theorem.