Denote by the set of all positive rational numbers. Determine all functions which satisfy the following equation for all
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Denote by the set of all positive rational numbers. Determine all functions which satisfy the following equation for all
*
To solve the functional equation for all functions such that for all ,
we proceed with the following steps:
Step 1: Simplify the equation using a special substitution.
First, consider setting . The equation becomes:
This relationship will help us understand how behaves when applied to inputs derived from .
Step 2: Making another strategic substitution.
Let us choose and substitute it back into the original equation:
This implies that for any positive rational number , is periodic in respect to an argument of the form .
**Step 3: Inferring a potential form of the function .**
Consider the function . Check if this satisfies the given functional equation:
Calculate with :
- ,
- .
Now, calculate :
- ,
- .
The two expressions are equal, thus confirming that is indeed a valid solution.
Step 4: Conclude the findings.
Based on the exploration, the only function satisfying the given functional equation is:
for all .