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Algebra Difficulty 8.0 Shortlist Find the answer

Find all functions f:RRf:\mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} satisfying the equation f(x2+y2+2f(xy))=(f(x+y))2. f(x^2+y^2+2f(xy)) = (f(x+y))^2. for all x,yRx,y \in \mathbb{R}.

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

Let f:RR f : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} be a function such that for all x,yR x, y \in \mathbb{R} , the following functional equation holds:
f(x2+y2+2f(xy))=(f(x+y))2. f(x^2 + y^2 + 2f(xy)) = (f(x+y))^2.

We need to find all possible functions f f that satisfy this equation.

### Step 1: Consider simple test cases

First, set x=y=0 x = y = 0 :

f(0+0+2f(0))=(f(0))2. f(0 + 0 + 2f(0)) = (f(0))^2.

Let f(0)=c f(0) = c . Then, we have:
f(2c)=c2. f(2c) = c^2.

### Step 2: Analyze specific function candidates

#### Case 1: Assume f(x)=0 f(x) = 0

Substitute f(x)=0 f(x) = 0 for all x x :
f(x2+y2+20)=0=(0)2. f(x^2 + y^2 + 2 \cdot 0) = 0 = (0)^2.
This satisfies the functional equation.

#### Case 2: Assume f(x)=x f(x) = x

Substitute f(x)=x f(x) = x :
f(x2+y2+2xy)=f((x+y)2)=(x+y)2. f(x^2 + y^2 + 2xy) = f((x+y)^2) = (x+y)^2.
This implies
x2+y2+2xy=(x+y)2, x^2 + y^2 + 2xy = (x+y)^2,
which is true generally. Therefore, f(x)=x f(x) = x is another solution.

### Step 3: Consider functions of binary nature

For f f of the form:
f(x)={1,xX,1,xX, f(x) = \begin{cases} 1, & x \notin X, \\ -1, & x \in X, \end{cases}
where X(,23) X \subset (-\infty, -\frac{2}{3}) .

- When x,yX x, y \notin X :
f(x2+y2+2f(xy))=f(x2+y2+21)=1=12. f(x^2 + y^2 + 2f(xy)) = f(x^2 + y^2 + 2 \cdot 1) = 1 = 1^2.
- When x,yX x, y \in X :
f(x2+y2+2f(xy))=f(x2+y2+2(1))=1=(1)2, f(x^2 + y^2 + 2f(xy)) = f(x^2 + y^2 + 2 \cdot (-1)) = 1 = (-1)^2,
given the structure of X X .

The functions f(x)=x f(x) = x , f(x)=0 f(x) = 0 , and the binary functions described match all conditions provided by the problem statement.

Thus, the set of all functions f f satisfying the given condition is:
f(x)=x,f(x)=0,and functions of the formf(x)={1,xX,1,xX, where X(,23). f(x) = x, \quad f(x) = 0, \quad \text{and functions of the form} \quad f(x) = \begin{cases} 1, & x \notin X, \\ -1, & x \in X, \end{cases} \text{ where } X \subset (-\infty, -\frac{2}{3}).

Therefore, the set of all solutions is:
{f(x)=x,f(x)=0,f(x)={1,xX,1,xX, where X(,23)} \boxed{\{ f(x) = x, f(x) = 0, f(x) = \begin{cases} 1, & x \notin X, \\ -1, & x \in X, \end{cases} \text{ where } X \subset (-\infty, -\frac{2}{3}) \}}

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