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Algebra Difficulty 6.1 National Olympiad Prove it Hong Kong

Determine all functions f:RRf : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} such that f(x+yf(x))=f(x)+xf(y)f(x + y f(x)) = f(x) + x f(y) for all x,yRx, y \in \mathbb{R}.

Solution

The solutions are f(x)=0f(x) = 0 for all xRx \in \mathbb{R} and f(x)=xf(x) = x for all xRx \in \mathbb{R}.

It is easy to check that both are solutions. Label the equation as follows.
f(x+yf(x))=f(x)+xf(y)(1) f(x + y f(x)) = f(x) + x f(y) \tag{1}
Putting x=1x = 1 in (1), we have
f(1+yf(1))=f(1)+f(y).(2) f(1 + y f(1)) = f(1) + f(y). \tag{2}
If f(1)1f(1) \neq 1, then there exists yRy \in \mathbb{R} such that 1+yf(1)=y1 + y f(1) = y. For this yy, we obtain f(1)=0f(1) = 0. Then (2) becomes f(y)=0f(y) = 0 for all yy, which is the first solution.
Now, we assume f(1)=1f(1) = 1. If f(t)=0f(t) = 0 for some tRt \in \mathbb{R}, by putting x=tx = t and y=1y = 1 in (1), we obtain t=0t = 0. This means f(x)0f(x) \neq 0 for any x0x \neq 0. Putting x=1x = 1 in (1), we have
f(y+1)=f(y)+1.(3) f(y + 1) = f(y) + 1. \tag{3}
By induction we easily obtain f(n)=nf(n) = n for any nZn \in \mathbb{Z}. Putting x=1x = -1 in (1), we find that
f(y1)=f(y)1. f(-y - 1) = -f(y) - 1.
Using (3), we get f(y)=f(y1)+1=f(y)-f(y) = f(-y - 1) + 1 = f(-y). Replacing yy by y-y in (1), we have
f(xyf(x))=f(x)xf(y). f(x - y f(x)) = f(x) - x f(y).
Adding this to (1), we have
f(x+yf(x))+f(xyf(x))=2f(x). f(x + y f(x)) + f(x - y f(x)) = 2 f(x).
For x0x \neq 0, we can replace yy by yf(x)\frac{y}{f(x)}. This yields
f(x+y)+f(xy)=2f(x).(4) f(x + y) + f(x - y) = 2 f(x). \tag{4}
Note that this also holds when x=0x = 0. Considering x=yx = y, we find that
f(2x)=2f(x). f(2x) = 2 f(x).
Also, applying the substitution a=x+ya = x + y and b=xyb = x - y, equation (4) becomes
f(a)+f(b)=2f(a+b2)=f(a+b). f(a) + f(b) = 2 f\left(\frac{a + b}{2}\right) = f(a + b).
This shows ff satisfies the Cauchy equation. Thus, (1) can be simplified to
f(yf(x))=xf(y).(5) f(y f(x)) = x f(y). \tag{5}
Putting y=1y = 1, we obtain f(f(x))=xf(f(x)) = x. Replacing xx by f(x)f(x) in (5) and using f(f(x))=xf(f(x)) = x, we get
f(xy)=f(x)f(y).(6) f(x y) = f(x) f(y). \tag{6}
It is well-known that a function f:RRf : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} satisfying the Cauchy equation and (6) can only be the zero function or the identity function. Thus, another solution is f(x)=xf(x) = x for all xRx \in \mathbb{R}.

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