Determine all functions f:[0,∞)→R such that f(0)=0 and f(x)=1+5f(⌊2x⌋)−6f(⌊4x⌋) for all x>0.
Solution
Let x≥0. If x∈(0,2) then f(x)=1+5f(0)−6f(0)=1. If x∈[2,4) then f(x)=1+5f(1)−6f(0)=6=a1. If x∈[4,8) then ⌊2x⌋∈[2,4) and ⌊4x⌋∈[1,2), and therefore f(x)=1+5⋅6−6⋅1=25=a2.
Assume for n≥1, that function f is constant on [2n,2n+1) taking a value an, and constant on [2n+1,2n+2) taking a value an+1, and let x∈[2n+2,2n+3). Because ⌊2x⌋∈[2n+1,2n+2) and ⌊4x⌋∈[2n,2n+1), we deduce that f(x)=1+5an+1−6an. Therefore, function f is also constant on [2n+2,2n+3) taking the value an+2=1+5an+1−6an, which can be rewritten an+2−21=5(an+1−21)−6(an−21). Because the roots of the characteristic polynomial X2−5X+6 are 2 and 3, there exist two real numbers u,v such that an=21+2nu+3nv, for all n≥1 Because a1=6 and a2=25, we have u=−4 and v=29. We deduce that f(x)=⎩⎨⎧01−2n+2+23n+2+1 if x=0 if x∈(0,2) if x∈[2n,2n+1) and n≥1
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