The set of all positive rational numbers is denoted by Q+. Determine all functions f:Q+→Q+ with the property f(x2f(y)2)=f(x2)f(y)(*) for all x,y∈Q+.
Solution
Solution:
We begin with some properties of the base set Q+ that are important for the solution set. As is well known, the product ab of two numbers a,b∈Q+ again lies in Q+, as does the inverse a1 for every number a∈Q+ (which is not always satisfied for a). Since the neutral element 1 of the (commutative) multiplication also belongs to Q+, Q+ forms a commutative (= abelian) group with respect to multiplication. Every non-empty subset U for which a,b∈U always implies ba∈U is an (abelian) subgroup of Q+, i.e., it contains the number 1, every product of two of its elements, and the reciprocal of each of its numbers. An example is D={3t∣t∈Z}, the set of all powers of three with integer exponents; trivial examples are U={1} and U=Q+.
Furthermore, for a subgroup U of Q+ and an arbitrary number a∈Q+, the set aU={au∣u∈U} is called the coset of Q+/U with representative a. The representative of a coset is generally not uniquely determined; likewise, the cosets themselves are generally not groups. An example with a=2 is the set 2D={2⋅3t∣t∈Z}, which, for instance, also has the representative 6.
After these preliminary remarks, we can now first describe the solution set:
Let U be an arbitrary subgroup of Q+ and let a1,a2,…∈Q+ be fixed representatives of the cosets of Q+/U. Furthermore, let u1,u2,… be numbers from U, such that exactly one ui is assigned to each ai. This yields the following solutions f:Q+→Q+: f(x)={r⋅uiu arbitrary ∈U for x=ai2⋅r2 with r∈U if x is not the square of a number from Q+ Here all solutions arise through the possible subgroups U and the choice of the ui, as well as through arbitrary choice of u∈U (the ai being fixed for each U).
For example, the following results for the trivial subgroups of Q+:
a) U={1}: Here only r=u=1 as well as ui=1 is possible, so that f(x)=1 for all x∈Q+.
b) U=Q+: Here f(x)=ax with fixed a, when x is a perfect square, and f(x) arbitrary from Q+, when x is not a perfect square.
The proof proceeds in two steps.
Step 1: We show that the given functions f are well-defined and satisfy (∗).
Every t=x2 with x∈Q+ can, by the definition of the cosets, be uniquely represented in the form t=ai2⋅r2 with r∈U, and every product ai2⋅r2 is a rational perfect square. Thus f is well-defined. It further follows from the definition that the value set Wf of f lies in U. Therefore, for every y∈Q+ there exists a u∈U with f(y)=u. Since, as noted above, for every x∈Q+ a unique representation x2=ai2⋅r2 exists, it follows that f(x2⋅f(y)2)=f(ai2r2u2)=f(ai2(ru)2)=(ru)⋅ui=(rui)⋅u=f(ai2r2)f(y)=f(x2)f(y), which shows that (∗) is satisfied.
Step 2: We show that no further solutions of (∗) can exist besides the ones given.
To this end, let f be a solution function of (∗) with the solution set Wf⊆Q+.
We substitute y=1 and x=f(1)1 into (∗): f(x2f(y)2)=f(f(1)2f(1)2)=f(1)=f(x2)f(1). Thus 1∈Wf.
Now let z=f(1)1 be fixed (by the above, this means f(z2)=1). Further let w∈Wf (this means there exists a u∈Q+ with f(u)=w). We substitute y=u and x=f(y)z into (∗): f(x2f(y)2)=f(z2)=1=f(x2)⋅w, hence f(x2)=w1. Thus for every w∈Wf, w1 also lies in Wf.
Now let v,w∈Wf (this means there exist t,u∈Q+ with f(t)=v and f(u)=w). We substitute x=z=f(1)1 and y=u into (∗), denote k=x⋅f(y), and obtain f(k2)=1⋅f(u)=w. Then we substitute x=k and y=t anew into (∗): f(x2f(y)2)=f(k2)f(t)=w⋅v. Thus for v,w∈Wf, the product vw always lies in Wf as well.
This proves that Wf is a subgroup of Q+.
Now let a1,a2,… be fixed chosen representatives of the cosets of Q+/Wf (as in the description of the solution set) and let r∈Wf be arbitrary with f(u)=r. We substitute x=ai (for arbitrary i) and y=u into (∗): f(x2f(y)2)=f(ai2⋅r2)=f(ai2)f(u)=ui⋅r (where f(ai2):=ui is set). From this it is evident that every solution function f must indeed have the form described above. □
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