(1) To prove f(x) is an odd function, we will show f(−x)=−f(x) for all x∈R.
First, let x=y=0. Then, we have f(0+0)=f(0)+f(0), which simplifies to f(0)=2f(0). Hence, f(0)=0 since the only solution to this equation is f(0)=0.
Next, let y=−x. We then have f(x−x)=f(x)+f(−x), which simplifies to f(0)=f(x)+f(−x). Since we have already shown f(0)=0, it follows that f(x)+f(−x)=0 and thus f(−x)=−f(x).
Therefore, f(x) is an odd function as for all x∈R, f(−x)=−f(x).
(2) To prove f(x) is a decreasing function on R, we will show that for any two numbers x1,x2∈R with x2>x1, we have f(x2)x1. Then f(x2)−f(x1)=f(x2+(−x1)). Since x2>x1, x2−x1>0 and from the function properties given, f(x2−x1)<0.
Therefore, f(x2)−f(x1)=f(x2−x1)<0, which implies f(x2)<f(x1).
As a result, f(x) is a decreasing function on R.
(3) Since f(−1)=2, we can calculate f(−2) by using the additivity property of the function.
We find f(−2)=f(−1)+f(−1)=2+2=4. Furthermore, since f(x) is an odd function, f(2)=−f(−2)=−4. We then calculate f(4) as follows:
f(4)=f(2+2)=f(2)+f(2)=−4+(−4)=−8.
Because f(x) is decreasing over the interval [−2,4], the maximum value of f(x) on this interval occurs at the left endpoint, −2, and the minimum value occurs at the right endpoint, 4.
Thus, the maximum and minimum values of f(x) on [−2,4] are fmax=f(−2)=4 and fmin=f(4)=−8, respectively.