414/514 References on continuous nowhere differentiable functions

Just as the last two times I have taught 414/514, I am assigning a final project on the topic of continuous nowhere differentiable functions (see here and here for the previous times).

The project requires that you choose an example of a continuous nowhere differentiable function, and to write a report describing the function, indicating who first introduced it, and presenting complete proofs of its continuity and nowhere differentiability. Additional information relevant for context is highly encouraged.

I am including links to two encyclopedic references on the subject. Feel free to follow the arguments there closely if needed, or to consult other sources, but make sure that what you turn in is your own version of the details of the argument, and that full details (rather than a sketch) are provided.

1. Johan Thim’s Master thesis (Continuous nowhere differentiable functions), written under the supervision of Lech Maligranda.
2. A.N. Singh’s short book on The theory and construction of non-differentiable functions. (See here for a short review.)

As I mentioned before,

Please take this project very seriously (in particular, do not copy details from books or papers, I want to see your own version of the details as you work through the arguments). Feel free to ask for feedback as you work on it; in fact, asking for feedback is a good idea. Do not wait until the last minute.

The project should be typeset and is due Wednesday, December 17 (though I strongly encourage you to turn it in earlier).

Please contact me by email as soon as you have chosen the topic you are going to cover, and I’ll list it here, to avoid repetitions.

• Stephanie Potter: Wen’s function.
• Jeremy Siegert: Orlicz functions.
• Stuart Nygard: Besicovitch’s function.
• Monica Agana: Koch’s snowflake.

Advertisement

Continuous nowhere differentiable functions

Following a theme from two years ago, we will have a final project for this course, due Wednesday, December 18, by noon, but feel free (and encouraged) to turn it in earlier. (As discussed in lecture, the project is voluntary for some of you. Contact me if you are not sure whether it is required or voluntary for you.)

There are many excellent sources on the topic of continuous nowhere differentiable functions. Johan Thim’s Master thesis, written under the supervision of Lech Maligranda, is available online, here, but feel free to use any other sources you find relevant.

Please choose an example of a continuous nowhere differentiable function, either from Thim’s thesis or elsewhere, and write (better yet, type) a note on who it is due to and what the function is, together with complete proofs of continuity and nowhere differentiability. Though not required, feel free (and encouraged) to add additional information you consider relevant for context.

(For an example of what I mean by relevant additional information: Weierstrass function is where , is an odd positive integer, and . It may be interesting to add a discussion of precisely what conditions are needed from to ensure (continuity and) nowhere differentiability; Weierstrass original requirements are more restrictive than necessary. For another example, Schoenberg functions, discussed in Thim’s thesis, give a natural example of a space filling curve, so consider including a proof of this fact.)

Please take this project very seriously (in particular, do not copy details from books or papers, I want to see your own version of the details as you work through the arguments). Feel free to ask for feedback as you work on it; in fact, asking for feedback is a good idea. Do not wait until the last minute. At the end, it would be nice to make at least some of the notes available online, please let me know when you turn it in whether you grant me permission to host your note on this blog.

Here is a list of the projects I posted on the blog, from last time:

• Katsuura function, by Erron Kearns.
• Faber functions, by Shehzad Ahmed.
• Schoenberg functions, by Jeremy Ryder.

Contact me (by email) as soon as you have chosen the example you will work on, to avoid repetitions; I will add your name and the chosen example to the list below as I hear from you.

List of projects:

• Joe Busick: Katsuura function.
• Paul Carnig: Darboux function.
• Joshua Meier: A variant of Koch’s snowflake.
• Paul Plummer: Lynch function.
• Veronica Schmidt: McCarthy function.

414/514 – Continuous nowhere differentiable functions

There are many excellent sources on the topic of continuous nowhere differentiable functions. Johan Thim’s Master thesis, written under the supervision of  Lech Maligranda, is available online, here, but feel free to use any other sources you find relevant.

As a final project for the course, please choose an example of a continuous nowhere differentiable function, either from Thim’s thesis or elsewhere, and write a note on who it is due to and what the function is, together with complete proofs of continuity and nowhere differentiability. Feel free to add additional information you consider relevant for context.

Contact me (by email) as soon as you have chosen the example you will work on, to avoid repetitions; I will add your name and the chosen example to the list below as I hear from you.

Please take this project very seriously (in particular, do not copy details from books or papers, I want to see your own version of the details as you work through the arguments). Feel free to ask for feedback as you work on it; in fact, asking for feedback is a good idea. Do not wait until the last minute. At the end, it would be nice to make at least some of the notes available online, please let me know when you turn it in whether you grant me permission to host your note on this blog.

The project is due Wednesday, December 14, by noon, but feel free (and encouraged) to turn it in earlier.

List of projects:

• Diana Kruse: Bolzano function.
• Jesse Tillotson: Weierstrass function.
• Erron Kearns: Katsuura function.
• David Sanchez: Peano function.
• Shehzad Ahmed: Faber functions.
• Chip Roth: McCarthy function.
• Jeremy Ryder: Schoenberg functions.