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Algebra Difficulty 5.4 AIME, harder Prove it Brazil

Find all functions ff from real numbers to real numbers such that
f(a+b)=f(ab) f(a + b) = f(ab)
for all irrationals a,ba, b.

Solution

Let f(0)=kf(0) = k. Plugging a=2a = \sqrt{2} and b=2b = -\sqrt{2} one obtain f(2+(2))=f(2(2))    f(2)=kf(\sqrt{2} + (-\sqrt{2})) = f(\sqrt{2}(-\sqrt{2})) \iff f(-2) = k.
Let αRQ\alpha \in \mathbb{R} \setminus \mathbb{Q}. Since the quadratic equation x2αx2=0x^2-\alpha x-2=0 has discriminant Δ=α2+8>0\Delta = \alpha^2+8>0, its roots have sum αRQ\alpha \in \mathbb{R} \setminus \mathbb{Q} and product 2Q-2 \in \mathbb{Q}, at least one of its roots mm is irrational; the other root, n=2/mn = -2/m, is also irrational. Thus we can plug mm and nn, obtaining f(m+n)=f(mn)    f(α)=f(2)=kf(m+n) = f(mn) \iff f(\alpha) = f(-2) = k.
Now let qQq \in \mathbb{Q}. The quadratic equation x2qx2=0x^2 - qx - \sqrt{2} = 0 has discriminant Δ=q2+42>0\Delta = q^2 + 4\sqrt{2} > 0, sum of the roots qQq \in \mathbb{Q} and product of the roots 2RQ-\sqrt{2} \in \mathbb{R} \setminus \mathbb{Q}, so one of its roots rr is irrational; the other root, s=qrs = q-r, is also irrational. We can plug rr and ss, obtaining f(r+s)=f(rs)    f(q)=f(2)=kf(r+s) = f(rs) \iff f(q) = f(-\sqrt{2}) = k.
So all the functions are the constant functions f(x)=k,kRf(x) = k, k \in \mathbb{R}.

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