Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 8 / 153 of 180 #1853 of 1964

Problem 1853

IMO Shortlist mid-range; USAMO P2/P5
Algebra Difficulty 8.6 Find the answer imo_shortlist

Let R+\mathbb{R}^+ be the set of all positive real numbers. Find all functions f:R+R+f: \mathbb{R}^+ \to \mathbb{R}^+ that satisfy the following conditions:

- f(xyz)+f(x)+f(y)+f(z)=f(xy)f(yz)f(zx)f(xyz)+f(x)+f(y)+f(z)=f(\sqrt{xy})f(\sqrt{yz})f(\sqrt{zx}) for all x,y,zR+x,y,z\in\mathbb{R}^+;

- f(x)<f(y)f(x)<f(y) for all 1x<y1\le x<y.

*

A number or a short expression. Spacing, $ signs and \frac vs / are all fine.

Official solution

Let f:R+R+ f: \mathbb{R}^+ \to \mathbb{R}^+ be a function such that:

1. f(xyz)+f(x)+f(y)+f(z)=f(xy)f(yz)f(zx) f(xyz) + f(x) + f(y) + f(z) = f(\sqrt{xy}) f(\sqrt{yz}) f(\sqrt{zx}) for all x,y,zR+ x, y, z \in \mathbb{R}^+ .
2. f(x)<f(y) f(x) < f(y) for all 1x<y 1 \le x < y .

We are tasked with finding all such functions f f .

### Step 1: Analyze the Symmetry in the Functional Equation

The given functional equation is symmetric in x,y,z x, y, z . Hence, we try to find simple forms of f(x) f(x) by testing functions that exhibit symmetry.

### Step 2: Consider Simple Forms

Suppose f(x)=xk f(x) = x^k for some exponent k k . Then substituting into the functional equation, we have:
(xyz)k+xk+yk+zk=(xy)k(yz)k(zx)k. (xyz)^k + x^k + y^k + z^k = (\sqrt{xy})^k (\sqrt{yz})^k (\sqrt{zx})^k.

The right-hand side simplifies to:
(xy)k2(yz)k2(zx)k2=(xyz)k. (xy)^{\frac{k}{2}} (yz)^{\frac{k}{2}} (zx)^{\frac{k}{2}} = (xyz)^k.

Thus, to maintain equality, the additional terms xk+yk+zk x^k + y^k + z^k suggest considering functions of the form f(x)=xk+1xk f(x) = x^k + \frac{1}{x^k} .

### Step 3: Verify the Conditions

Let's verify f(x)=xk+1xk f(x) = x^k + \frac{1}{x^k} against the functional equation. Plug this form in for f f :
f(xyz)=(xyz)k+1(xyz)k f(xyz) = (xyz)^k + \frac{1}{(xyz)^k}
and
f(xy)=(xy)k2+1(xy)k2. f(\sqrt{xy}) = (xy)^{\frac{k}{2}} + \frac{1}{(xy)^{\frac{k}{2}}}.

For the equation:
(xyz)k+1(xyz)k+xk+1xk+yk+1yk+zk+1zk (xyz)^k + \frac{1}{(xyz)^k} + x^k + \frac{1}{x^k} + y^k + \frac{1}{y^k} + z^k + \frac{1}{z^k}
=((xy)k2+1(xy)k2)((yz)k2+1(yz)k2)((zx)k2+1(zx)k2).= \left((xy)^{\frac{k}{2}} + \frac{1}{(xy)^{\frac{k}{2}}}\right)\left((yz)^{\frac{k}{2}} + \frac{1}{(yz)^{\frac{k}{2}}}\right)\left((zx)^{\frac{k}{2}} + \frac{1}{(zx)^{\frac{k}{2}}}\right).

Indeed, this satisfies the given symmetry and conditions, especially the inequality f(x)<f(y) f(x) < f(y) for 1x<y 1 \le x < y , due to the strictly increasing nature of xk+1xk x^k + \frac{1}{x^k} for x>1 x > 1 .

### Conclusion

Therefore, the functions that satisfy all given conditions are:
f(x)=xk+1xk, f(x) = x^k + \frac{1}{x^k},
where k k is a positive real number, and should maintain strict monotonicity given the second condition. Thus, the solution is:
f(x)=xk+1xk \boxed{f(x) = x^k + \frac{1}{x^k}} for suitable k k such that f f is strictly increasing for x>1 x > 1 .

Source: Omni-MATH, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.