Let the three orbit points be . Up to reflection of the interval, their images are . Set and . Continuity and the intermediate value theorem imply the covering relations
We first prove the needed interval-covering principle using the permitted pullback fact. If a cyclic list of closed intervals obeys , pull back successively from the end to obtain a closed interval with and . Since , the intermediate value theorem gives a fixed point of in : choose preimages of the two endpoints of , which give opposite weak signs of , irrespective of their order. This point realizes the cyclic itinerary.
For , use the word . It obeys the covering relations and therefore yields a point with period dividing . A point away from the shared endpoint has an unambiguous itinerary, and this word has exactly one per cycle; it cannot be a repetition of a shorter word. Its least period is consequently . If an orbit touches , it is the original three-cycle. That realizes the case itself. It cannot realize any of the other words: for not divisible by three it is not fixed by , and for a multiple of three larger than three it visits more than once, contradicting the itinerary. Thus the construction works for every . For , and the same fixed-point argument gives a fixed point. This proves period three implies all periods: there is an orbit of every positive least period.
For the two five-cycles forced by a three-cycle, use the two cyclic words and . Both are admissible. Their points cannot be endpoints from the three-cycle, and because five is prime and the words use both intervals, each has least period five. Their itineraries have respectively one and two visits to the interior of ; cyclically shifting the starting point cannot change this count. Hence they give at least two distinct period-five orbits.
The covering words and both occur under the interval coverings in period three implies all periods. Their points cannot be the boundary three-cycle. Each has least period five, because five is prime and each itinerary visits both intervals. Their respective one and two visits to the interior of distinguish the orbits even after cyclic changes of starting point.