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Taiwan IMO Selection Camp

Algebra Difficulty 5.5 AIME, harder Prove it Taiwan

Let RR and QQ denote the set of real numbers and the set of rational numbers, respectively. Find all functions f:Q→R∖{0}f : Q \rightarrow R \setminus \{0\} such that for all rational numbers x,yx, y,
(f(x))2f(2y)+(f(y))2f(2x)=2f(x)f(y)f(x+y). (f(x))^2 f(2y) + (f(y))^2 f(2x) = 2f(x)f(y)f(x+y).

Solution

Setting y=0y = 0 gives
f2(x)f(0)+f(0)2f(2x)=2f2(x)f(0). f^2(x)f(0) + f(0)^2f(2x) = 2f^2(x)f(0).
Thus f(2x)=f2(x)f(0),f(2y)=f2(y)f(0).(1) \text{Thus } f(2x) = \frac{f^2(x)}{f(0)}, \quad f(2y) = \frac{f^2(y)}{f(0)}. \qquad (1)
Substituting (1) into the given condition, we get
f(x)f(y)(f(x)f(y)−f(0)f(x+y))=0.(2) f(x)f(y)(f(x)f(y) - f(0)f(x+y)) = 0. \qquad (2)
From (2) and f(x)≠0,f(y)≠0f(x) \neq 0, f(y) \neq 0, we get
f(x)f(y)−f(0)f(x+y)=0(3) f(x)f(y) - f(0)f(x+y) = 0 \qquad (3)
Let g(x)=f(x)f(0)g(x) = \frac{f(x)}{f(0)}; then from (3) we know
g(x+y)=g(x)g(y).(4) g(x+y) = g(x)g(y). \qquad (4)
From (4) and mathematical induction, we obtain
g(nx)=(g(x))n, for any positive integer n.(5) g(nx) = (g(x))^n, \text{ for any positive integer } n. \qquad (5)
In (5), setting x=1,x=mnx = 1, x = \frac{m}{n}, we get
g(n)=(g(1))n,(6) g(n) = (g(1))^n, \qquad (6)
g(m)=(g(mn))n.(7) g(m) = \left(g\left(\frac{m}{n}\right)\right)^n. \qquad (7)
From (4) we know
g(x)=(g(x2))2>0, for any rational number x.(8) g(x) = \left(g\left(\frac{x}{2}\right)\right)^2 > 0, \text{ for any rational number } x. \qquad (8)
g(mn)=(g(1))mn, for any positive integers m,n.(9) g(\frac{m}{n}) = (g(1))^{\frac{m}{n}}, \text{ for any positive integers } m, n. \qquad (9)
Also, g(0)=f(0)f(0)=1g(0) = \frac{f(0)}{f(0)} = 1, so from (4) we get
g(−mn)=g(0)g(mn)=(g(1))−mn.(10) g(-\frac{m}{n}) = \frac{g(0)}{g(\frac{m}{n})} = (g(1))^{-\frac{m}{n}}. \qquad (10)
From g(0)=1g(0) = 1 and equations (9), (10) we know
g(x)=(g(1))x, for any rational number x.(11) g(x) = (g(1))^x, \text{ for any rational number } x. \qquad (11)
From equation (11) and g(x)=f(x)f(0)g(x) = \frac{f(x)}{f(0)}, we thus know
f(x)=f(0)(f(1)f(0))x, for any rational number x.(12) f(x) = f(0)\left(\frac{f(1)}{f(0)}\right)^x, \text{ for any rational number } x. \qquad (12)
Let b=f(0)≠0b = f(0) \neq 0, c=f(1)f(0)c = \frac{f(1)}{f(0)}; equation (12) becomes f(x)=bcxf(x) = bc^x, for any rational number xx. Verification shows that f(x)=bcxf(x) = bc^x (b≠0,c>0b \neq 0, c > 0) satisfies the given condition.
Hence the desired f(x)=bcxf(x) = bc^x (b≠0,c>0,b,cb \neq 0, c > 0, b, c are constants).

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