Required are all functions f mapping non-negative reals to non-negative reals, fulfilling the identity f(x12+⋯+xn2)=f(x1)2+⋯+f(xn)2 for any choice of numbers x1,…,xn.
Solution
Answer: the functions f(x)=0 and f(x)=x. A first observation is that f(1)=f(12)=f(1)2, so that f(1) is either 0 or 1. Assume first that f(1)=0. For each positive integer n, we find f(n)=f(n⋅12)=nf(1)2=0. Given an arbitrary x, find y so that x2+y2 becomes a positive integer n. Then f(x)2+f(y)2=f(x2+y2)=f(n)=0. Consequently, f(x)=0 for all x. Now assume f(0)=1. We shall prove that f(x)=x for all x. For each positive integer n, we find f(n)=f(n⋅12)=nf(1)2=n. For a non-negative rational number qp, we find p2=f(p2)=f(q2⋅(qp)2)=q2f(qp)2, hence f(x)=x also for rational numbers. Finally, let x be an irrational number. Select a rational number qp>x. Choosing y so that x2+y2=q2p2, we deduce q2p2=f(q2p2)=f(x2+y2)=f(x)2+f(y)2≥f(x)2, hence f(x)≤qp. Next, select a (positive) rational number sr<x, i.e. s2r2<x. Choosing z so that s2r2+z2=x, we deduce f(x)=f(s2r2+z2)=f(sr)2+f(z)2=s2r2+f(z)2≥s2r2, hence f(x)≥s2r2. Together, these two bounds for f(x) imply f(x)=x, and we are finished.
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