Suppose that a function f:N→N satisfies (1). For arbitrary positive integers m>n, by (1) we have
f(m)=f(n+(m−n))≥f(n)+f(f(m−n))−1≥f(n),
so f is nondecreasing.
Function f≡1 is an obvious solution. To find other solutions, assume that f≡1 and take the smallest a∈N such that f(a)>1. Then f(b)≥f(a)>1 for all integer b≥a.
Suppose that f(n)>n for some n∈N. Then we have
f(f(n))=f((f(n)−n)+n)≥f(f(n)−n)+f(f(n))−1
so f(f(n)−n)≤1 and hence f(n)−n<a. Then there exists a maximal value of the expression f(n)−n; denote this value by c, and let f(k)−k=c≥1. Applying the monotonicity together with (1), we get
2k+c≥f(2k)=f(k+k)≥f(k)+f(f(k))−1≥f(k)+f(k)−1=2(k+c)−1=2k+(2c−1),
hence c≤1 and f(n)≤n+1 for all n∈N. In particular, f(2007)≤2008.
Now we present a family of examples showing that all values from 1 to 2008 can be realized. Let
fj(n)=max{1,n+j−2007} for j=1,2,…,2007;f2008(n)={n,n+1,2007∤n,2007∣n.
We show that these functions satisfy the condition (1) and clearly fj(2007)=j.
To check the condition (1) for the function fj(j≤2007), note first that fj is nondecreasing and fj(n)≤n, hence fj(fj(n))≤fj(n)≤n for all n∈N. Now, if fj(m)=1, then the inequality (1) is clear since fj(m+n)≥fj(n)≥fj(fj(n))=fj(m)+fj(fj(n))−1. Otherwise,
fj(m)+fj(fj(n))−1≤(m+j−2007)+n=(m+n)+j−2007=fj(m+n).
In the case j=2008, clearly n+1≥f2008(n)≥n for all n∈N; moreover, n+1≥f2008(f2008(n)) as well. Actually, the latter is trivial if f2008(n)=n; otherwise, f2008(n)=n+1, which implies 2007∤n+1 and hence n+1=f2008(n+1)=f2008(f2008(n)).
So, if 2007∣m+n, then
f2008(m+n)=m+n+1=(m+1)+(n+1)−1≥f2008(m)+f2008(f2008(n))−1.
Otherwise, 2007∤m+n, hence 2007∤m or 2007∤n. In the former case we have f2008(m)=m, while in the latter one f2008(f2008(n))=f2008(n)=n, providing
f2008(m)+f2008(f2008(n))−1≤(m+n+1)−1=f2008(m+n).