Let Q>0 denote the set of all positive rational numbers. Find all functions f:Q>0→Q>0 satisfying f(x2f(y)2)=f(x)2f(y), for all x,y∈Q>0.
Solution
f(x)=1 for all x∈Q>0. Take any a,b∈Q>0. By substituting x=f(a), y=b and x=f(b), y=a into the assumption of the problem we get (f(f(a)))2f(b)=f(f(a)2f(b)2)=f(f(b))2f(a), which yields f(a)f(f(a))2=f(b)f(f(b))2 for all a,b∈Q>0. In other words, this shows that there exists a constant C∈Q>0 such that f(f(a))2=Cf(a), (Cf(f(a)))2=Cf(a)for all a∈Q>0.(1) Denote by fn(x)=nf(f(…(f(x))…)) the nth iteration of f. Equality (1) yields Cf(a)=(Cf2(a))2=(Cf3(a))4=⋯=(Cfn+1(a))2n for all positive integer n. So, f(a)/C is the 2n-th power of a rational number for all positive integer n. This is impossible unless f(a)/C=1,
since otherwise the exponent of some prime in the prime decomposition of f(a)/C is not divisible by sufficiently large powers of 2. Therefore, f(a)=C for all a∈Q>0. Finally, after substituting f≡C into the assumption of the problem we get C=C3, whence C=1. So f(x)≡1 is the unique function satisfying the assumption of the problem.
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