Let A:=Q\{0,1} denote the set of all rationals other than 0 and 1. A function f:A→R has the property that for all x∈A, f(x)+f(1−x1)=log∣x∣. Compute the value of f(2007).
A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.
Solution
Let g:A→A be defined by g(x):=1−1/x; the key property is that g(g(g(x)))=1−1−1−x111=x. The given equation rewrites as f(x)+f(g(x))=log∣x∣. Substituting x=g(y) and x=g(g(z)) gives the further equations f(g(y))+f(g(g(y)))=log∣g(x)∣ and f(g(g(z)))+f(z)=log∣g(g(x))∣. Setting y and z to x and solving the system of three equations for f(x) gives f(x)=21⋅(log∣x∣−log∣g(x)∣+log∣g(g(x))∣). For x=2007, we have g(x)=20072006 and g(g(x))=2006−1, so that f(2007)=2log∣2007∣−log∣20072006∣+log∣2006−1∣=log(2007/2006).
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