Let T be a given positive integer. Find all functions f:Z→C such that for every integer m, f(m+T)=f(m), and for every three integers a,b, and c, the following equality holds: f(a)f(a+b)f(a+c)f(a+b+c)=1. Note: zˉ denotes the complex conjugate of the complex number z.
Solution
First, by substituting b=c=0 into the given relation, we obtain: f(a)⋅fˉ(a)⋅fˉ(a)⋅f(a)=1⇒∣f(a)∣2⋅∣f(a)∣2=1⇒∣f(a)∣4=1⇒∣f(a)∣=1 Since for every x∈C, xxˉ=∣x∣2, and we know ∣f(x)∣=1 implies fˉ(x)=1/f(x). The original relation is f(a)f(a+b)f(a+c)f(a+b+c)=1. Substituting fˉ(x)=1/f(x): f(a)f(a+b)1f(a+c)1f(a+b+c)=1 ⇒f(a)f(a+b+c)=f(a+b)f(a+c) Now, if a=0,c=1, we can write: f(b+1)=f(0)f(b)f(1)⇒f(n)=f(0)n−1f(1)n=f(0)(f(0)f(1))n Since f(n+T)=f(n), we have that f(0)f(1) is a root of unity. Therefore, every solution is of the form f(n)=cwn where ∣c∣=1 and w is a root of unity. By substitution, we find that all such functions are solutions. ■
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