, 2007

Suppose that function $f: \mathbb{N} \rightarrow \mathbb{N}$ satisfies the problem conditions.

Lemma. For any prime $p$ and any $x, y \in \mathbb{N}$, we have $x \equiv y (\bmod p)$ if and only if $f(x) \equiv f(y) (\bmod p)$. Moreover, $p \mid f(x)$ if and only if $p \mid x$.

Proof. Consider an arbitrary prime $p$. Since $f$ is surjective, there exists some $x \in \mathbb{N}$ such that $p \mid f(x)$. Let
$$d = \min \{x \in \mathbb{N}: p \mid f(x)\}$$
By induction on $k$, we obtain that $p \mid f(kd)$ for all $k \in \mathbb{N}$. The base is true since $p \mid f(d)$. Moreover, if $p \mid f(kd)$ and $p \mid f(d)$ then, by the problem condition, $p \mid f(kd+d) = f((k+1)d)$ as required.

Suppose that there exists an $x \in \mathbb{N}$ such that $d \nmid x$ but $p \mid f(x)$. Let
$$y = \min \{x \in \mathbb{N}: d \nmid x, p \mid f(x)\}.$$
By the choice of $d$, we have $y > d$, and $y-d$ is a positive integer not divisible by $d$. Then $p \nmid f(y-d)$, while $p \mid f(d)$ and $p \mid f(d + (y-d)) = f(y)$. This contradicts the problem condition. Hence, there is no such $x$, and
$$\begin{equation*} p \mid f(x) \Longleftrightarrow d \mid x. \tag{1} \end{equation*}$$
Take arbitrary $x, y \in \mathbb{N}$ such that $x \equiv y (\bmod d)$. We have $p \mid f(x + (2xd - x)) = f(2xd)$; moreover, since $d \mid 2xd + (y-x) = y + (2xd - x)$, we get $p \mid f(y + (2xd - x))$. Then by the problem condition $p \mid f(x) + f(2xd - x)$, $p \mid f(y) + f(2xd - x)$, and hence $f(x) \equiv -f(2xd - x) \equiv f(y) (\bmod p)$.

On the other hand, assume that $f(x) \equiv f(y) (\bmod p)$. Again we have $p \mid f(x) + f(2xd - x)$ which by our assumption implies that $p \mid f(x) + f(2xd - x) + (f(y) - f(x)) = f(y) + f(2xd - x)$. Hence by the problem condition $p \mid f(y + (2xd - x))$. Using (1) we get $0 \equiv y + (2xd - x) \equiv y - x (\bmod d)$.

Thus, we have proved that
$$\begin{equation*} x \equiv y \ (\bmod d) \Longleftrightarrow f(x) \equiv f(y) \ (\bmod p). \tag{2} \end{equation*}$$
We are left to show that $p = d$: in this case (1) and (2) provide the desired statements.

The numbers $1, 2, \ldots, d$ have distinct residues modulo $d$. By (2), numbers $f(1), f(2), \ldots, f(d)$ have distinct residues modulo $p$; hence there are at least $d$ distinct residues, and $p \geq d$. On the other hand, by the surjectivity of $f$, there exist $x_1, \ldots, x_p \in \mathbb{N}$ such that $f(x_i) = i$ for any $i = 1, 2, \ldots, p$. By (2), all these $x_i$'s have distinct residues modulo $d$. For the same reasons, $d \geq p$. Hence, $d = p$.

Now we prove that $f(n) = n$ by induction on $n$. If $n = 1$ then, by the Lemma, $p \nmid f(1)$ for any prime $p$, so $f(1) = 1$, and the base is established. Suppose that $n > 1$ and denote $k = f(n)$. Note that there exists a prime $q \mid n$, so by the Lemma $q \mid k$ and $k > 1$.

If $k > n$ then $k - n + 1 > 1$, and there exists a prime $p \mid k - n + 1$; we have $k \equiv n - 1 (\bmod p)$. By the induction hypothesis we have $f(n-1) = n-1 \equiv k = f(n) (\bmod p)$. Now, by the Lemma we obtain $n-1 \equiv n (\bmod p)$ which cannot be true.

Analogously, if $k < n$, then $f(k-1) = k-1$ by induction hypothesis. Moreover, $n - k + 1 > 1$, so there exists a prime $p \mid n - k + 1$ and $n \equiv k - 1 (\bmod p)$. By the Lemma again, $k = f(n) \equiv f(k-1) = k-1 (\bmod p)$, which is also false. The only remaining case is $k = n$, so $f(n) = n$.

Finally, the function $f(n) = n$ obviously satisfies the condition.