On the derivative of the Minkowski question mark function ?(x)

Abstract

Let x = [0; a ₁ , a ₂ , …] be the regular continued fraction expansion of an irrational number x ∈ [0, 1]. For the derivative of the Minkowski function ?(x) we prove that ?′(x) = +∞, provided that $\mathop {{\lim \sup }}\limits_{t \to \infty } \frac{{{a_1} + \cdots + {a_t}}}{t} < {\kappa_1} = \frac{{2\log {\lambda_1}}}{{\log 2}} = {1.388^{+} }$, and ?′(x) = 0, provided that $\mathop {{\lim \inf }}\limits_{t \to \infty } \frac{{{a_1} + \cdots + {a_t}}}{t} > {\kappa_2} = \frac{{4{L_5} - 5{L_4}}}{{{L_5} - {L_4}}} = {4.401^{+} }$, where ${L_j} = \log \left( {\frac{{j + \sqrt {{{j^2} + 4}} }}{2}} \right) - j \cdot \frac{{\log 2}}{2}$. Constants κ₁, κ₂ are the best possible. It is also shown that ?′(x) = +∞ for all x with partial quotients bounded by 4.