Olympiad Maths Prep

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Problem 1841

IMO Shortlist mid-range; USAMO P2/P5
Algebra Difficulty 8.6 Prove it 52nd International Mathematical Olympiad 2011 Shortlist · IMO · 2011

Let n1n \geq 1 be an odd integer. Determine all functions ff from the set of integers to itself such that for all integers xx and yy the difference f(x)f(y)f(x)-f(y) divides xnynx^{n}-y^{n}.

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, read the official solution, then mark yourself honestly — the ladder only means something if the record is true.

Official solution

Obviously, all functions in the answer satisfy the condition of the problem. We will show that there are no other functions satisfying that condition.
Let ff be a function satisfying the given condition. For each integer nn, the function gg defined by g(x)=f(x)+ng(x)=f(x)+n also satisfies the same condition. Therefore, by subtracting f(0)f(0) from f(x)f(x) we may assume that f(0)=0f(0)=0.
For any prime pp, the condition on ff with (x,y)=(p,0)(x, y)=(p, 0) states that f(p)f(p) divides pnp^{n}. Since the set of primes is infinite, there exist integers dd and ε\varepsilon with 0dn0 \leq d \leq n and ε{1,1}\varepsilon \in\{1,-1\} such that for infinitely many primes pp we have f(p)=εpdf(p)=\varepsilon p^{d}. Denote the set of these primes by PP. Since a function gg satisfies the given condition if and only if g-g satisfies the same condition, we may suppose ε=1\varepsilon=1.
The case d=0d=0 is easily ruled out, because 0 does not divide any nonzero integer. Suppose d1d \geq 1 and write nn as md+rm d+r, where mm and rr are integers such that m1m \geq 1 and 0rd10 \leq r \leq d-1. Let xx be an arbitrary integer. For each prime pp in PP, the difference f(p)f(x)f(p)-f(x) divides pnxnp^{n}-x^{n}. Using the equality f(p)=pdf(p)=p^{d}, we get
pnxn=pr(pd)mxnprf(x)mxn0(modpdf(x)) p^{n}-x^{n}=p^{r}\left(p^{d}\right)^{m}-x^{n} \equiv p^{r} f(x)^{m}-x^{n} \equiv 0 \quad\left(\bmod p^{d}-f(x)\right)
Since we have r<dr<d, for large enough primes pPp \in P we obtain
prf(x)mxn<pdf(x). \left|p^{r} f(x)^{m}-x^{n}\right|<p^{d}-f(x) .
Hence prf(x)mxnp^{r} f(x)^{m}-x^{n} has to be zero. This implies r=0r=0 and xn=(xd)m=f(x)mx^{n}=\left(x^{d}\right)^{m}=f(x)^{m}. Since mm is odd, we obtain f(x)=xdf(x)=x^{d}.

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