We are tasked with finding all functions f:R→R such that for all real numbers x and y, the following functional equation holds:
f(x)f(y)+f(x+y)=xy.
Step 1: Plug-in Specific Values
First, let's test for simple values of x and y.
1. Set y=0:
f(x)f(0)+f(x+0)=x⋅0⇒f(x)f(0)+f(x)=0⇒f(x)(f(0)+1)=0.
Since this must hold for all x, we have two possibilities:
- f(x)=0 for all x, which is easily seen not to satisfy the equation for, say, x=y=1.
- f(0)=−1.
**Step 2: Determine f(x) Using Another Strategy**
Now let's use the fact that f(0)=−1.
2. Set x=y:
f(x)f(x)+f(2x)=x2⇒f(x)2+f(2x)=x2.
From this equation, we can solve for f(2x):
f(2x)=x2−f(x)2.
Step 3: Consider Another Combination
Consider setting x=1 and y=1:
f(1)f(1)+f(2)=1⇒f(1)2+f(2)=1.
Also note from setting x=1 and previously finding f(0)=−1:
f(1)f(0)+f(1)=0⇒−f(1)+f(1)=0⇒f(1)=0.
Using f(1)=0 in the above, f(1)2+f(2)=1 becomes:
02+f(2)=1⇒f(2)=1.
Step 4: Propose and Verify a General Form
Given our earlier results and a few trials, let us propose f(x)=x−1 as one solution:
1. Calculate f(x)f(y)+f(x+y) using f(x)=x−1:
(x−1)(y−1)+(x+y−1)=(xy−x−y+1)+(x+y−1)=xy.
The calculation confirms that f(x)=x−1 satisfies the functional equation.
Additionally, propose f(x)=−x−1 as another solution and check:
2. Calculate f(x)f(y)+f(x+y) using f(x)=−x−1:
(−x−1)(−y−1)+(−(x+y)−1)=(xy+x+y+1)−(x+y+1)=xy.
Thus, f(x)=−x−1 also satisfies the functional equation.
Conclusion:
The solutions to the functional equation are:
f(x)=x−1 or f(x)=−x−1.
Both forms satisfy the original equation for all real numbers x and y.