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Algebra Difficulty 6.0 National olympiad Prove it North Macedonia

Find all functions f:RRf: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} such that
f(max{x,y}+min{f(x),f(y)})=x+y(1) f(\max\{x, y\} + \min\{f(x), f(y)\}) = x + y \quad (1)
for all x,yRx, y \in \mathbb{R}.

Solution

Let the function ff is such that for every x,yRx, y \in \mathbb{R} it is fulfilled the equation (1).
If in (1) we put y=xy = x, we obtain
f(x+f(x))=2x, for every xR.(2) f(x + f(x)) = 2x, \text{ for every } x \in \mathbb{R}. \quad (2)
Furthermore, for x=0x = 0 from (2) follows f(f(0))=0f(f(0)) = 0, and for x=y=f(0)2x = y = \frac{f(0)}{2} from (1) we obtain f(f(0))=f(0)f(f(0)) = f(0). Now, from the last two equations it follows that f(0)=0f(0) = 0.
Now, if in (1) we put y=0y = 0 and if we use f(0)=0f(0) = 0, we obtain
f(max{x,0}+min{f(x),0})=x, for every xR.(3) f(\max\{x, 0\} + \min\{f(x), 0\}) = x, \text{ for every } x \in \mathbb{R}. \quad (3)
We will consider two cases:
Case 1. x>0x > 0. Then from (3) it follows
f(x+min{f(x),0})=x. f(x + \min\{f(x), 0\}) = x.
From the last equality follows that or f(x+f(x))=xf(x + f(x)) = x or f(x)=xf(x) = x. If f(x+f(x))=xf(x + f(x)) = x, then for (2) it follows 2x=x2x = x, which is not possible when x>0x > 0. Hence, f(x)=xf(x) = x.
**Case 22^\circ** x<0x < 0. Then from (3) it follows
f(min{f(x),0})=x. f(\min\{f(x), 0\}) = x.
Now, from the last equality we obtain or f(0)=xf(0) = x or f(f(x))=xf(f(x)) = x. If f(0)=xf(0) = x, then 0>x=f(0)=00 > x = f(0) = 0, which is a contradiction. Hence, f(f(x))=xf(f(x)) = x. Now, if in (2) instead of xx we put f(x)f(x) and if first we use that f(f(x))=xf(f(x)) = x, and after that we use the equality (2), we obtain
2f(x)=f(f(x)+f(f(x)))=f(f(x)+x)=2x, 2f(x) = f(f(x) + f(f(x))) = f(f(x) + x) = 2x,
from where we obtain f(x)=xf(x) = x, for x<0x < 0.
Finally, 11^\circ and 22^\circ implies that f(x)=xf(x) = x for every xRx \in \mathbb{R}. It is not difficult to check that this function is a solution of the problem.

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