Outer length billiards on polygons
Abstract
The classical inner and outer billiards can be formulated in variational terms, with length and area as the respective generating functions. The other two combinations, ``inner with area'' and ``outer with length,'' are more recently described. Here, we consider the latter system in the special case of polygonal tables. We describe the behavior of orbits far away from the table and pose conjectures regarding an escaping orbit when the table is a square. This paper is meant to complement arXiv:2510.08370 which handles smooth tables with positive curvature.
Turn this paper into a full lesson
ArcXiv compiles a staged curriculum from this paper: 8-12 lessons across beginner → advanced, synthesised section guides, visuals, flashcards, a quiz, exercises, and on-demand deep dives per section. Grounded in the abstract, never invented.