You're seeing this message because you're using an older version of Internet Explorer that is unsupported on our website. Please use these links to upgrade to a modern web browser that fully supports our website and protects your computer from security risks.
HOME | INDEX | SEARCH | DIRECTORIES
Department: Mathematics
Symposium Year: 2012
Student(s): Bryan Martin
Faculty Mentor(s): Dr. Mark P. Hughes
When viewed within the realm of dynamical systems, the humble quadratic function reveals some fascinating behavior. To explore this behavior, the quadratic function Qc(x) = x2 + c is applied to an initial point xo. This process is iterated using composition. The result is a sequence of numbers, {Qc(xo), Q2cxo), Q3c(xo),…}, which can exhibit widely varying behavior depending on the choice of the constant c. More precisely, the sequence can approach a limiting value or display periodicity. For some values of c, chaotic behavior is found. Cobweb and orbit diagrams provide the tools for visualization. A collection of these diagrams will be presented along with background information.