Olympiad Maths Prep

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Problem 1861

IMO Shortlist mid-range; USAMO P2/P5
Algebra Difficulty 8.7 Find the answer imo_shortlist

Determine all functions f:QZf: \mathbb{Q} \rightarrow \mathbb{Z} satisfying
f(f(x)+ab)=f(x+ab) f \left( \frac{f(x)+a} {b}\right) = f \left( \frac{x+a}{b} \right)
for all xQx \in \mathbb{Q}, aZa \in \mathbb{Z}, and bZ>0b \in \mathbb{Z}_{>0}. (Here, Z>0\mathbb{Z}_{>0} denotes the set of positive integers.)

Official solution

We are tasked with finding all functions f:QZ f: \mathbb{Q} \rightarrow \mathbb{Z} that satisfy the functional equation:

f(f(x)+ab)=f(x+ab) f \left( \frac{f(x) + a}{b} \right) = f \left( \frac{x + a}{b} \right)

for all xQ x \in \mathbb{Q} , aZ a \in \mathbb{Z} , and bZ>0 b \in \mathbb{Z}_{>0} .

### Step 1: Consider Constant Functions

Assume that f f is a constant function. This means f(x)=c f(x) = c for some fixed cZ c \in \mathbb{Z} for all xQ x \in \mathbb{Q} .

Substitute f(x)=c f(x) = c into the equation:

f(c+ab)=f(x+ab) f \left( \frac{c + a}{b} \right) = f \left( \frac{x + a}{b} \right)

Since f f is constant, the left-hand side simplifies to f(c+ab)=c f \left( \frac{c + a}{b} \right) = c . Thus, the equation holds because the right-hand side simplifies to f(x+ab)=c f \left( \frac{x + a}{b} \right) = c as well.

Therefore, any constant function f(x)=c f(x) = c for cZ c \in \mathbb{Z} is a solution.

### Step 2: Consider Floor and Ceiling Functions

Next, consider the functions f(x)=x f(x) = \lfloor x \rfloor and f(x)=x f(x) = \lceil x \rceil .

#### For f(x)=x f(x) = \lfloor x \rfloor :

Substitute into the equation:

x+ab=x+ab \lfloor \frac{\lfloor x \rfloor + a}{b} \rfloor = \lfloor \frac{x + a}{b} \rfloor

The floor function generally satisfies properties that make these quantities equal because the operation of flooring "rounds down" to the nearest integer, preserving the integer status of both sides of the equation when x x is a rational number.

#### For f(x)=x f(x) = \lceil x \rceil :

Similarly, substitute:

x+ab=x+ab \lceil \frac{\lceil x \rceil + a}{b} \rceil = \lceil \frac{x + a}{b} \rceil

The ceiling function rounds up to the nearest integer, another transformation that keeps the equality intact due to consistent rounding in both the numerator and arguments of the floor and ceiling functions for rational inputs.

### Conclusion

Thus, the solutions to the functional equation are the following functions:

f(x)=c for cZ,f(x)=x,f(x)=x. f(x) = c \text{ for } c \in \mathbb{Z}, \quad f(x) = \lfloor x \rfloor, \quad f(x) = \lceil x \rceil.

The complete set of solutions can be expressed as:
{f(x)=ccZ}{f(x)=x}{f(x)=x} \boxed{\{ f(x) = c \mid c \in \mathbb{Z} \} \cup \{ f(x) = \lfloor x \rfloor \} \cup \{ f(x) = \lceil x \rceil \}}

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