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Algebra Difficulty 5.4 AIME, harder Prove it Romania

Let f:RRf : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} be a strictly increasing function such that fff \circ f is continuous. Prove that ff is continuous.

Solution

Since ff is monotonic, the lateral limits at each point exist and are finite. Denote f(x0)f(x_0^-), respectively f(x0+)f(x_0^+), the limit from the left, respectively from the right at x0x_0. Then, ff being increasing, f(x0)f(x0)f(x0+)f(x_0^-) \leq f(x_0) \leq f(x_0^+) for every x0Rx_0 \in \mathbb{R}.

Suppose now that ff is discontinuous at some point aa. Then there exists A,BA, B such that f(a)<A<B<f(a+)f(a^-) < A < B < f(a^+). It follows, since ff is increasing, that f(x)Af(x) \leq A for all x<ax < a and f(x)Bf(x) \geq B for all x>ax > a. Using again the monotony, f(f(x))f(A)f(f(x)) \leq f(A) for all x<ax < a and f(f(x))f(B)f(f(x)) \geq f(B) for all x>ax > a. But, this implies f(f(a))f(A)<f(B)f(f(a+))f(f(a^-)) \leq f(A) < f(B) \leq f(f(a^+)), which would mean that fff \circ f is discontinuous at aa, a contradiction.

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