Let D:=R∖{0,1}. Find all functions f:D→D which satisfy for any x,y∈R with x,xy∈D the equation f(f(xy))=1−yf(f(f(x)))1
Solution
Plugging in y=xa for a,x∈D gives f(f(a))=1−af(f(f(x)))x. On the other hand, y=1 and x=a gives for a∈D f(f(a))=1−f(f(f(a)))1. from which we conclude f(f(f(x)))x is constant for all x∈D. Thus it follows f(f(f(x)))=Cx for some constant C=0. Plugging this into the second equation gives f(f(x))=1−Cx1. Replace here x with f(x). This is allowed, since f(x)∈D follows from the definition of f. Thus Cx=f(f(f(x)))=1−Cf(x)1, i.e. f(x)=C(1−Cx)1.
So we get f(x)=1−x1 for all x∈D, which clearly solves the given functional equation, so we are done.
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