The minimum tree for a given zero-entropy period (Q2368420)

Summary: We answer the following question: given any \(n\in\mathbb N\), which is the minimum number of endpoints \(e_n\) of a tree admitting a zero-entropy map \(f\) with a periodic orbit of period \(n\)? We prove that \(e_n=s_1s_2\cdots s_k-\sum_{i=2}^k s_is_{i+1}\cdots s_k\), where \(n=s_1s_2\cdots s_k\) is the decomposition of \(n\) into a product of primes such that \(s_i\leq s_{i+1}\) for \(1\leq i < k\). As a corollary, we get a criterion to decide whether a map \(f\) defined on a tree with \(e\) endpoints has positive entropy: if \(f\) has a periodic orbit of period \(m\) with \(e_m > e\), then the topological entropy of \(f\) is positive.