On smooth functions that are even on the boundary of a ball (Q6072978)

In looking for higher-dimensional analogues of Rolle's theorem, it is natural to ask whether, given a smooth real function \(f: \overline{B^n} \to \mathbb R\) on the closed unit ball, if \(f\) is even on the boundary \(S^{n -1} = \partial B^n\), then there must exist a point \(p \in \overline{B^n}\) in which \(\nabla f(p) = 0\). In this paper, the authors prove that this is not the case. Indeed, for any \(n \geq 2\), they determine an explicit example of a smooth \(f:\overline{B^n} \to \mathbb R\) which is even on the boundary and with nowhere vanishing gradient.