Find all functions defined on the set of positive reals which take positive real values and satisfy: for all ; and as .
Solution
To tackle this problem, we want to find all functions that satisfy:
1. for all .
2. .
### Step-by-step Solution:
1. Substitute Special Values:
- Let in the functional equation.
This implies that if is not constant, must be equal to .
2. Behavior at Infinity:
- Given that , interpret this with .
- As , . For , this implies for all with .
3. Explore Constants:
- Consider the possibility :
- The function satisfies the condition as:
4. Uniqueness:
- Assume there was another function satisfying the conditions. Then following similar reasoning and substitutions, you'd obtain:
- This implies is indeed the only solution that satisfies all the conditions.
Hence, the only function that meets the given conditions is: