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Algebra Difficulty 8.2 Shortlist Find the answer

Determine all functions f:QQf: \mathbb{Q} \to \mathbb{Q} such that
f(2xy+12)+f(xy)=4f(x)f(y)+12f(2xy + \frac{1}{2}) + f(x-y) = 4f(x)f(y) + \frac{1}{2}
for all x,yQx,y \in \mathbb{Q}.

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

Let f:QQ f: \mathbb{Q} \to \mathbb{Q} be a function such that
f(2xy+12)+f(xy)=4f(x)f(y)+12 f(2xy + \frac{1}{2}) + f(x-y) = 4f(x)f(y) + \frac{1}{2}
for all x,yQ x, y \in \mathbb{Q} .

First, we denote the given functional equation as P(x,y) P(x, y) :
P(x,y):f(2xy+12)+f(xy)=4f(x)f(y)+12. P(x, y): f(2xy + \frac{1}{2}) + f(x-y) = 4f(x)f(y) + \frac{1}{2}.

By considering P(x,0) P(x, 0) , we have:
f(12)+f(x)=4f(x)f(0)+12. f(\frac{1}{2}) + f(x) = 4f(x)f(0) + \frac{1}{2}.
Let c=f(0) c = f(0) . Then:
f(12)+f(x)=4cf(x)+12. f(\frac{1}{2}) + f(x) = 4cf(x) + \frac{1}{2}.

Next, consider P(0,y) P(0, y) :
f(12)+f(y)=4f(0)f(y)+12. f(\frac{1}{2}) + f(-y) = 4f(0)f(y) + \frac{1}{2}.
Since f(x)=f(x) f(x) = f(-x) from symmetry in the functional equation, we have:
f(12)+f(y)=4cf(y)+12. f(\frac{1}{2}) + f(y) = 4cf(y) + \frac{1}{2}.

By comparing the two equations, we see that f(x)=12 f(x) = \frac{1}{2} or f(x)=4x2+14 f(x) = \frac{4x^2 + 1}{4} .

To determine the specific form of f(x) f(x) , we use P(x,12) P(x, \frac{1}{2}) :
f(x+12)+f(x12)=2f(x)+12. f(x + \frac{1}{2}) + f(x - \frac{1}{2}) = 2f(x) + \frac{1}{2}.

Assuming f(x)=4x2+14 f(x) = \frac{4x^2 + 1}{4} , we verify:
f(x+12)=4(x+12)2+14=4x2+4x+1+14=4x2+4x+24=x2+x+12, f(x + \frac{1}{2}) = \frac{4(x + \frac{1}{2})^2 + 1}{4} = \frac{4x^2 + 4x + 1 + 1}{4} = \frac{4x^2 + 4x + 2}{4} = x^2 + x + \frac{1}{2},
f(x12)=4(x12)2+14=4x24x+1+14=4x24x+24=x2x+12. f(x - \frac{1}{2}) = \frac{4(x - \frac{1}{2})^2 + 1}{4} = \frac{4x^2 - 4x + 1 + 1}{4} = \frac{4x^2 - 4x + 2}{4} = x^2 - x + \frac{1}{2}.

Adding these:
f(x+12)+f(x12)=(x2+x+12)+(x2x+12)=2x2+1=2f(x)+12. f(x + \frac{1}{2}) + f(x - \frac{1}{2}) = (x^2 + x + \frac{1}{2}) + (x^2 - x + \frac{1}{2}) = 2x^2 + 1 = 2f(x) + \frac{1}{2}.

Thus, the function f(x)=4x2+14 f(x) = \frac{4x^2 + 1}{4} satisfies the functional equation. Therefore, the function f(x) f(x) is:
f(x)=x2+12. f(x) = x^2 + \frac{1}{2}.

The answer is: f(x)\boxed{f(x)} = x^2 + 12.{\frac{1}{2}}.

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