Cutting sets of continuous functions on the unit interval (Q2139066)

We say that a function \(f\colon[0,1]\to\mathbb{R}\) cuts the real axis at a point \(x\in[0,1]\) provided that \(f(x)=0\) and in every neighbourhood \(U\) of \(x\) there exist \(y,z\in U\) such that \(f(y)<0<f(z)\). In the present article, the authors examine the properties of the set \(E(f)\) of points at which the function \(f\) cuts the real axis. They prove that if \(f\) is continuous then \(E(f)\) is a closed and nowhere dense subset of \(f^{-1}(\{0\})\). In the first part of the paper they prove also a new version of the Intermediate Value Property (connected with the set \(E(f)\)). In the second part of the manuscript, the authors deal with the relations between the Cantor set and the cutting sets of continuous functions defined on the unit interval \([0,1]\). In the third part of the paper, the authors discuss those relations for the set \(\mathcal{C}^\infty[0,1]\) of functions \(f\colon[0,1]\to\mathbb{R}\) that have derivatives of all orders on \([0,1]\). The main result is given in the fourth part of the paper. The authors prove there the characterization of the set \(E(f)\) for functions \(f\in\mathcal{C}^\infty[0,1]\).