Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /1 of 4

, 2020

Algebra Difficulty 8.1 Shortlist Prove it Netherlands

Find all functions f:ZZf: \mathbb{Z} \to \mathbb{Z} satisfying
f(f(x)f(y))=1xy f(-f(x) - f(y)) = 1 - x - y
for all x,yZx, y \in \mathbb{Z}.

Solution

Substituting x=y=1x = y = 1 yields f(2f(1))=1f(-2f(1)) = -1.

Substituting x=nx = n and y=1y = 1 yields f(f(n)f(1))=nf(-f(n) - f(1)) = -n.

Substituting x=f(n)f(1)x = -f(n) - f(1) and y=2f(1)y = -2f(1) then yields
f(f(f(n)f(1))f(2f(1)))=1(f(n)f(1))(2f(1)) f(-f(-f(n) - f(1)) - f(-2f(1))) = 1 - (-f(n) - f(1)) - (-2f(1))
in which the left hand side expands as f((n)(1))=f(n+1)f(-(-n) - (-1)) = f(n + 1) and the right hand as 1+f(n)+f(1)+2f(1)=f(n)+3f(1)+11 + f(n) + f(1) + 2f(1) = f(n) + 3f(1) + 1.

Writing c=3f(1)+1c = 3f(1) + 1, we then get f(n+1)=f(n)+cf(n + 1) = f(n) + c.

Applying induction in both directions, we see that f(n+k)=f(n)+ckf(n + k) = f(n) + ck for all kZk \in \mathbb{Z}.

Substituting n=0n = 0 then yields f(k)=f(0)+ckf(k) = f(0) + ck for all kZk \in \mathbb{Z}, so ff is a linear function.

Now let a,bZa, b \in \mathbb{Z} be such that f(x)=ax+bf(x) = ax + b for all xZx \in \mathbb{Z}. Then the left hand side of the functional equation evaluates as
f(f(x)f(y))=a(axbayb)+b=a2xa2y2ab+b. f(-f(x) - f(y)) = a(-ax - b - ay - b) + b = -a^2x - a^2y - 2ab + b.
For all xx and yy this must be equal to 1xy1 - x - y. Therefore the coefficient for xx on both sides must be equal (for fixed yy both sides must give the same function in xx), so a2=1-a^2 = -1, and therefore a=1a = 1 or a=1a = -1.

If a=1a = -1, substituting x=y=0x = y = 0 yields 2b+b=12b + b = 1, which contradicts bb being an integer.

If a=1a = 1, substituting x=y=0x = y = 0 yields 2b+b=1-2b + b = 1, so b=1b = -1.

Indeed, if a=1a = 1 and b=1b = -1, then the left hand side also expands to 1xy1 - x - y.

Therefore the only solution to the functional equation is the function f(x)=x1f(x) = x - 1.

f(x)=x1\boxed{f(x) = x - 1}

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.