Let α=21+5. Find all continuous functions f:R→R such that, for all x,y,z∈R, f(αx+y)+f(αy+z)+f(αz+x)=αf(x+y+z)+2f(x)+2f(y)+2f(z).
Solution
Let (*) be the given functional equation. Setting x=y=z=0 in (*), we have f(0)=0. Setting y=z=0 in (*) and simplifying, we have f(αx)=α2f(x) for all x∈R. Letting z=0 in the functional equation, we get f(αx+y)+f(αy)+f(x)=αf(x+y)+2f(x)+2f(y). Using f(αy)=α2f(y)=(α+1)f(y), it follows that f(αx+y)=αf(x+y)+f(x)+(1−α)f(y). Then (*) simplifies to f(x+y)+f(y+z)+f(z+x)=f(x+y+z)+f(x)+f(y)+f(z). Putting z=−y in the above equation, we have f(x+y)+f(x−y)=2f(x)+f(y)+f(−y). Let fc(x)=(f(x)+f(−x))/2 and fo(x)=(f(x)−f(−x))/2. Then fc(x+y)+fc(x−y)fo(x+y)+fo(x−y)=2fc(x)+2fc(y)=2fo(x) which respectively are the quadratic and the Jensen functional equations with the continuous solutions fc(x)=ax2 and fo(x)=bx (note that fo(0)=0). Thus, f(x)=ax2+bx. Substituting f(x)=ax2+bx into (*), we can see that b=0. Thus f(x)=ax2 is the only continuous solution.
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