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Algebra Difficulty 5.0 AIME Prove it China

Let f(x):f(x+1)f(x)=2x+1f(x): f(x + 1) - f(x) = 2x + 1 (xRx \in \mathbb{R}), and f(x)1|f(x)| \le 1 when x[0,1]x \in [0, 1]. Prove:
f(x)2+x2(xR). |f(x)| \le 2 + x^2 \quad (x \in \mathbb{R}).

Solution

Let g(x)=f(x)x2g(x) = f(x) - x^2, then
g(x+1)g(x)=f(x+1)f(x)(x+1)2+x2=(2x+1)(x2+2x+1x2)=2x+1(2x+1)=0. \begin{align*} g(x+1) - g(x) &= f(x+1) - f(x) - (x+1)^2 + x^2 \\ &= (2x + 1) - (x^2 + 2x + 1 - x^2) \\ &= 2x + 1 - (2x + 1) \\ &= 0. \end{align*}
Thus, g(x)g(x) is a periodic function with 1 as its period. On the other hand, as is given f(x)1|f(x)| \le 1 when x[0,1]x \in [0, 1], so
g(x)=f(x)x2f(x)+x21+x22, |g(x)| = |f(x) - x^2| \le |f(x)| + x^2 \le 1 + x^2 \le 2,
when x[0,1]x \in [0, 1].
Therefore, the periodic function g(x)g(x) satisfies g(x)2|g(x)| \le 2 (xRx \in \mathbb{R}), thus arriving at
f(x)=g(x)+x2g(x)+x22+x2(xR), |f(x)| = |g(x) + x^2| \le |g(x)| + x^2 \le 2 + x^2 \quad (x \in \mathbb{R}),
as desired.

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