Problem:
Determine all functions defined on the set of rationals that take rational values for which
for each and .
Solutions — 2
Solution 1
Solution:
The only solutions are for all rational and for all rational . Both of these readily check out.
Setting yields for all rational . Now replacing by , we find that
for all rational . Setting yields , whence .
Setting in the given functional equation yields for all rational . Thus is one-one onto. Applying to the functional equation yields that
for every rational pair .
Setting in the functional equation yields , whence . Therefore for each rational pair , so that
for each rational pair .
Since , . By induction, it can be established that for each integer and rational , . If , we can establish from this that , and for each integer pair . Thus for all rational . Since , we must have . Hence or . These check out.
Solution 2
Solution:
In the functional equation, let
to obtain and
for all rational pairs . Set to obtain , to obtain and to obtain for all rationals and . Hence . Replacing by yields
for all rational pairs . Hence where for all rational . Substitution of this into the functional equation with leads to , so that . It can be checked that both and satisfy the equation.