5. Find all functions f:N→N, such that for all n∈N, we have f(f(f(n)))=f(n+1)+1.
Solution
5. For n∈N, there are two functions satisfying the conditions: f(n)=n+1, f(n)=⎩⎨⎧n+1,n+5,n−3,n≡0 or 2(mod4);n≡1(mod4);n≡3(mod4).
Let h0(x)=x, hk(x)=k↑h(⋯h(x)⋯))(k∈Z+). From equation (1) we get f4(n)=f(f3(n))=f(f(n+1)+1), f4(n+1)=f3(f(n+1)) =f(f(n+1)+1)+1. Thus, f4(n)+1=f4(n+1). (1) Let Ri denote the range of fi. (ii) b=f(0)+1; (iii) b−1∈S1. Otherwise, b−1∈R1, and there exists n∈Z+ such that f(n)=b−1. Thus, f3(n−1)=f(n)+1=b. Therefore, b∈R3, which is a contradiction. By 3k=∣S1∪S2∪S3∣⩽1+1+∣S1∣=k+2, we have k⩽1. Thus, k=1, and the equality in the inequality holds. Therefore, there exists some a∈N such that S1={a},S2={f(a)},S3={f2(a)}.
Since f0(x)=x, then the conditions (i), (ii), and (iii) each hold R0=N, and R0⊇R1⊇⋯. From equation (3), if a∈R4, then a+1∈R4. This indicates that N\R4 is finite, hence N\R1 is finite. In particular, R1 is unbounded.
If there exist different non-negative integers m,n such that f(m)=f(n), from equation (1) we get f(m+1)=f(n+1). By mathematical induction, for every c∈N, we have f(m+c)=f(n+c). Thus, for all k⩾m, the function f(k) is periodic with period ∣m−n∣. Therefore, R1 is bounded, which is a contradiction. Thus, f is injective. (2) Let Si=Ri−1\Ri. Then for all positive integers i(i⩽4), Si is finite. On the other hand, since f is injective, we have n∈Si⇔f(n)∈Si+1. By f being bijective, f is a bijection between Si and Si+1,
Thus, ∣S1∣=∣S2∣=⋯, and we denote ∣Si∣=k. If 0∈R3, then there exists n∈N such that f(f(f(n)))=0. From equation (1) we get f(n+1)=−1, which is a contradiction. Thus, 0∈R0\R3=S1∪S2∪S3, and k⩾1. For elements b in R0\R3=S1∪S2∪S3, at least one of the following three conditions is satisfied: (i) b=0;
Thus f(0)=f3(a)=f(a+1)+1=1. Therefore, a=f(0)+1=2. From equation (5) we get f(2)=3. Thus, f(0)=1,f(2)=3,f(3)=0. We will prove by induction on m that for all n=4k,4k+2,4k+3(k⩽m) and for all n=4k+1(k<m), equation (2) holds. When m=0, the conclusion holds. Assume the conclusion holds for m−1(m⩾1). From equation (1) we get f3(4m−3)=f(4m−2)+1=4m. From equation (3) we get f(4m)=f4(4m−3)=f4(4m−4)+1=f3(4m−3)+1=4m+1.
By the induction hypothesis and equation (1) we get f(4m−3)=f2(4m−4)=f3(4m−1)=f(4m)+1=4m+2,f(4m+2)=f2(4m−3)=f3(4m−4)=f(4m−3)+1=4m+3,f(4m+3)=f2(4m+2)=f3(4m−3)=f(4m−2)+1=4m.
In summary, equation (2) holds. Direct verification shows that equation (2) is a solution to the original equation. f3(4k)=4k+7=f(4k+1)+1,f3(4k+1)=4k+4=f(4k+2)+1,f3(4k+2)=4k+1=f(4k+3)+1,f3(4k+3)=4k+6=f(4k+4)+1.
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