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Algebra Difficulty 8.4 Shortlist Find the answer

Let Q\mathbb{Q} be the set of rational numbers. A function f:QQf: \mathbb{Q} \to \mathbb{Q} is called aquaesulian if the following property holds: for every x,yQx,y \in \mathbb{Q},
f(x+f(y))=f(x)+yorf(f(x)+y)=x+f(y). f(x+f(y)) = f(x) + y \quad \text{or} \quad f(f(x)+y) = x + f(y).
Show that there exists an integer cc such that for any aquaesulian function ff there are at most cc different rational numbers of the form f(r)+f(r)f(r) + f(-r) for some rational number rr, and find the smallest possible value of cc.

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

Let Q \mathbb{Q} be the set of rational numbers. We have a function f:QQ f: \mathbb{Q} \to \mathbb{Q} that satisfies the property such that for every x,yQ x, y \in \mathbb{Q} :

f(x+f(y))=f(x)+yorf(f(x)+y)=x+f(y). f(x+f(y)) = f(x) + y \quad \text{or} \quad f(f(x)+y) = x + f(y).

Our task is to show that there exists an integer c c such that for any aquaesulian function f f , there are at most c c different rational numbers of the form f(r)+f(r) f(r) + f(-r) for some rational number r r , and to find the smallest possible value of c c .

### Solution

1. **Analyzing the conditions of f f **:

Consider the property f(x+f(y))=f(x)+y f(x+f(y)) = f(x) + y . If we set x=0 x = 0 , we get:

f(f(y))=f(0)+y. f(f(y)) = f(0) + y.

This implies that the function f f behaves as a partial inverse.

Similarly, if we consider the condition f(f(x)+y)=x+f(y) f(f(x)+y) = x + f(y) and set y=0 y = 0 , we get:

f(f(x))=x+f(0). f(f(x)) = x + f(0).

This suggests involution or a linear shift in behavior of the function.

2. **Deducing the expression for f(r)+f(r) f(r) + f(-r) **:

With both transformations f(x+f(y))=f(x)+y f(x+f(y)) = f(x) + y and f(f(x)+y)=x+f(y) f(f(x)+y) = x + f(y) leading to similar structures, let's see what happens when we consider r r and r-r:

If we apply f f on f(r)+f(r) f(r) + f(-r) , using the equations above and assuming one transformation, say:

f(f(r)+f(r))=r+f(r). f(f(r) + f(-r)) = r + f(-r).

and

f(f(r)+f(r))=r+f(r). f(f(-r) + f(r)) = -r + f(r).

Adding these derived results can lead to:

f(f(r))+f(f(r))=(f(0)+r)+(f(0)r)=2f(0). f(f(r)) + f(f(-r)) = (f(0) + r) + (f(0) - r) = 2f(0).

Hence, f(r)+f(r) f(r) + f(-r) always simplifies to 2f(0) 2f(0) .

Therefore, regardless of r r , f(r)+f(r) f(r) + f(-r) resolves to a constant.

3. Conclusion:

Since each f(r)+f(r) f(r) + f(-r) results in a single fixed rational number 2f(0) 2f(0) , the integer c c representing the maximum number of distinct values for f(r)+f(r) f(r) + f(-r) must be:

1. \boxed{1}.

This tells us that the smallest possible value of c c ensuring the uniqueness condition for any aquaesulian function is indeed 1.

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