On the existence of \(C^1\) functions with perfect level sets (Q5926118)

The authors prove that given a closed set \(M\subset [0,1]\) of Lebesgue measure zero, there exists a \(C^1\) function \(f: [0,1]\to [0,1]\) with the property that \(f^{-1}(\{y\})\) is a perfect set for every \(y\in M\) as well as finite for every \(y\in [0,1]\setminus M\). The result is in some connection with the known fact that given a \(C^1\) function \(f: [0,1]\to [0,1]\), the set of points where the level sets of \(f\) are uncountable has Lebesgue measure zero [\textit{S. Saks}, ``Theory of the integral'' (1937; Zbl 0017.30004), p. 226].