Functional Equations Problems

Amir Hossein Parvardi ∗

June 13, 2011

Dedicated to pco.

∗ email: [email protected], blog: http://math-olympiad.blogsky.com.

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1 Definitions
• N is the set of positive integers.
• N ∪ {0} = N∗ is the set of non-negative integers.
• Z is the set of integers.
• Q is the set of rational numbers.
• R+ is the set of positive real numbers.
• R is the set of real numbers.
• If a function f is defined on the set A to the set B, we write f : A → B
and read “f is a function from the set A to the set B.”

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2 Problems
1. Find all surjective functions f : N → N such that f (n) ≥ n + (−1)n , ∀n ∈ N.
2. Find all functions g : R → R such that for any real numbers x and y

g(x + y) + g(x)g(y) = g(xy) + g(x) + g(y).

3. Find all real valued functions defined on the reals such that for every real
x, y
f (x2 − y 2 ) = xf (x) − yf (y).

4. Find all real valued functions defined on the reals such that for every real
x, y:
f (xf (x) + f (y)) = f (x)2 + y.
5. Find all functions f : N → N such that f (f (n)) + (f (n))2 = n2 + 3n + 3 for
all positive integers n.
6. Let n be a positive integer. Find all strictly increasing functions f : N∗ → N∗
such that the equation
f (x)
=k−x
kn
has an integral solution x for all k ∈ N.
7. Find all functions f : R+ → R+ such that

x+y 2f (x)f (y)

f( )= ∀x, y ∈ R+ .
2 f (x) + f (y)

8. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (1 − x) = 1 − f (f (x)) ∀x ∈ R.

9. Find all functions f : R+ → R+ such that

f (1 + xf (y)) = yf (x + y) ∀x, y ∈ R+ .

10. Find all functions f : R+ → R+ such that

f (xf (y)) = f (x + y) ∀x, y ∈ R+ .

11. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (f (x) + y) = f (x2 − y) + 4yf (x) ∀x, y ∈ R.

12. Find all functions f, g, h : R → R such that

f (x + y) + g(x − y) = 2h(x) + 2h(y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

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13. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x + y + z) = f (x) · f (1 − y) + f (y) · f (1 − z) + f (z) · f (1 − x) ∀x, y, z ∈ R.

14. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (f (x) − f (y)) = (x − y)2 f (x + y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

15. Find all functions f, g : R → R such that

• If x < y, then f (x) < f (y);
• for all x, y ∈ R, we have f (xy) = g(y)f (x) + f (y).
16. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f ((x + z)(y + z)) = (f (x) + f (z))(f (y) + f (z)) ∀x, y, z ∈ R.

17. Find all functions f : R → R that satisfy

f (x3 + y 3 ) = x2 f (x) + yf (y 2 )

for all x, y ∈ R.
18. Find all functions f : R → R that satisfy

f (m + nf (m)) = f (m) + mf (n)

for all m and n.

19. Find all functions f : R → R such that f (x)f (y) = f (x + y) + xy for all
x, y ∈ R.
20. Find all functions f : N ∪ {0} → N ∪ {0} .Such that x · 3f (y) divides f (x) · 3y
for all x, yN ∪ {0}.
21. Find all continuous functions f : R → R such that

f (x + y)f (x − y) = (f (x)f (y))2 ∀x, y ∈ R.

22. Find all functions f : R → R such that

(x + y)(f (x) − f (y)) = (x − y)f (x + y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

23. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f ((f (x) + y) = f (x2 − y) + 4f (x)y ∀x, y ∈ R.

24. Find all the functions f : Z → R such that

f (m + n − mn) = f (m) + f (n) − f (mn) ∀m, n ∈ Z

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25. Find all functions f : (0, 1) → (0, 1) such that f ( 12 ) = 1
2 and
2
(f (ab)) = (af (b) + f (a)) (bf (a) + f (b)) ∀a, b ∈ (0, 1).

26. Find all functions f : Q → Q such that

f (x + y + f (x)) = x + f (x) + f (y) ∀x, y ∈ Q.

27. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x2 + f (y)) = (x − y)2 f (x + y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

28. Find all functions f : R → R such that

• f (x + y) = f (x) + f (y) ∀x, y ∈ R,

• f (x) = x2 f ( x1 ) ∀x ∈ R \ {0}.
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29. Let a > 4 be a real number. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (f (x)) + a = x2 ∀x ∈ R.

30. Find all injective functions f : N → N which satisfy

n + f (n)
f (f (n)) ≤ ∀n ∈ N.
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31. Find all continuous functions f (x), g(x), q(x) : R → R such that

f (x2 ) + f (y 2 ) = [q(x) − q(y)]g(x + y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

32. Find all functions f : R → R so that

f (x + y) + f (x − y) = 2f (x) cos y ∀x, y ∈ R.

33. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x − f (y)) = f (x) + x · f (y) + f (f (y)) ∀x, y ∈ R.

34. Find all functions f : R+ → R+ such that

f (f (x)) = 6x − f (x) ∀x ∈ R+ .

35. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x + y) + f (xy) + 1 = f (x) + f (y) + f (xy + 1) ∀x, y ∈ R.

36. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x)f (y · f (x) − 1) = x2 f (y) − f (x) ∀x, y ∈ R.

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37. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x3 + y 3 ) = x · f (x2 ) + y · f (y 2 ) ∀x, y ∈ R.

38. Find all functions f : Q → R such that

|f (x) − f (y)| ≤ (x − y)2 ∀x, y ∈ Q.

39. Find all functions f : R → R+ such that

f (x + y) = f (x2 + y 2 ) ∀x ∈ R+ .

40. Find all functions f : R → R such that

x2 y 2 (f (x + y) − f (x) − f (y)) = 3(x + y)f (x)f (y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

41. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (f (x) + f (y) + f (z)) = f (f (x) − f (y)) + f (2xy + f (z)) + 2f (xz − yz)

for all reals x, y.

42. Find all functions f : N → N such that m2 +f (n)|(f (m))2 +n for all positive
integers m, n.
43. Let n be a positive integer. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x + f (y)) = f (x) + y n ∀x, y ∈ R.

44. Find all the functions f : N → N such that

3f (f (f (n))) + 2f (f (n)) + f (n) = 6n ∀n ∈ N.

45. Find all functions f : N∗ → N∗ satisfying

! 2 "2
f (m) + f (n) | m2 + n
" !

for any two positive integers m and n.

46. Find all functions f : R+ → R+ such that

2xy 2f (x)f (y)

f( )= ∀x, y ∈ R+ .
x+y f (x) + f (y)

47. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (xy) = max{f (x), y} + min{f (y), x} ∀x, y ∈ R.

48. Find all functions f : R → R such that

• f (x + f (y)) = y + f (x) ∀x, y ∈ R, and

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 f (x)
• The set A = x is finite.
49. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (f (x) + f (y)) + f (f (x)) = 2f (x) + y ∀x, y ∈ R.

50. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x2 (z 2 +1)+f (y)(z+1)) = 1−f (z)(x2 +f (y))−z((1+z)x2 +2f (y)) ∀x, y, z ∈ R.

51. Prove that there is no bijective function f : {1, 2, 3, ...} → {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}
such that
f (mn) = f (m) + f (n) + 3f (m)f (n).
52. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x − f (y)) = f (f (y)) + xf (y) + f (x) − 1 ∀x, y ∈ R.

53. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (xf (x + y)) = f (yf (x)) + x2 ∀x, y ∈ R.

54. Find all functions f : R → R such that

# $
2 x 1
f (x) = f x + + ∀x ∈ R.
3 9

55. Given 0 < p < 2, find all continuous functions f : R → R such that
! "
f f (x) = f (x) + px ∀x ∈ R.

56. Find all functions f : R → R such that

# $# $
1 1
f (x + xy + f (y)) = f (x) + f (y) + ∀x, y ∈ R.
2 2

57. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (f (x) + y) = f (x + y) + xf (y) − xy − x + 1 ∀x, y ∈ R.

58. Find all functions f : R → R such that:

x(f (x) + f (−x) + 2) + 2f (−x) = 0 ∀x ∈ R.

59. Find all non-decreasing functions f : R+ ∪ {0} → R+ ∪ {0} such that for
each x, y ∈ R+ ∪ {0}
# $
x + f (x)
f + y = 2x − f (x) + f (f (y)).
2

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60. Find all functions f : R → R such that:

(1 + f (x)f (y))f (x + y) = f (x) + f (y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

61. For function f : R → R given that f (x2 + x + 3) + 2 · f (x2 − 3x + 5) =

6x2 − 10x + 17. Calculate f (2009).
62. Find all the functions f : R (→ R such that

f (x − f (y)) = f (f (y)) + xf (y) + f (x) − 1

for all x, y ∈ R.
63. Find all functions f : R → R such that f (1) = 1 and
# $
x
= xyf x2 + y 2
! "
f f (x)y +
y
for all real numbers x and y with y )= 0.
64. Find all functions f, defined on the positive real numbers and taking real
numbers such that
f (x + y) f (x) f (y) f (x + y)
f (x) + f (y) ≤ , + ≥
2 x y x+y
for all x, y > 0.
65. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (xf (y − x)) = f (yf (x)) − x2 ∀x, y ∈ R.

66. Find all functions f : R → R such that :

f (x + f (y + f (z))) = f (x) + f (f (y)) + f (f (f (z))) ∀x, y, z ∈ R.

67. Find all functions f : R+ → R satisfying the identity

%x& %y&
f (x)f (y) = y α f + xβ f ∀x, y ∈ R+
2 2
Where α, β are given real numbers.
68. Find all functions f : R → R such that for all x, y ∈ R, we have

f (x + y) + f (x)f (y) = f (xy) + (y + 1)f (x) + (x + 1)f (y).

69. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x + y) = 2f (x)f (y) + 3f (x) + 3f (y) + 3 ∀x, y ∈ R.

70. Find all the continuous bounded functions f : R → R such that

(f (x))2 − (f (y))2 = f (x + y)f (x − y) for all x, y ∈ R.

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71. Find all functions f : R → R such that f (x + y) + f (x) f (y) = f (xy) +
2xy + 1 for all real numbers x and y.
72. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x2 + y 2 ) = f (f (x)) + f (xy) + f (f (y)) ∀x, y ∈ R.

73. Find all functions f : R+ → R+ such that

(x + y)f (f (x)y) = x2 f (f (x) + f (y)) ∀x, y ∈ R+ .

74. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x + y 2 ) ≥ (y + 1)f (x) ∀x, y ∈ R.

75. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x)f (y) ≤ f (xy) and f (x) + f (y) ≤ f (x + y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

76. Find all functions f : Q → R+ such that

• f (x) ≥ 0 ∀x ∈ Q, f (x) = 0 ⇐⇒ x = 0,
• f (xy) = f (x) · f (y),
• f (x + y) ≤ max{f (x), f (y)}
77. Determine all function f : R → R satisfying
y
xf (y) − yf (x) = f ( )
x
for all x, y ∈ R with x )= 0.
78. Determine all functions f : N → N such that
n
' 1 f (f (n))
= ∀n ∈ N.
f (k) · f (k + 1) f (n + 1)
k=1

79. Find all functions f : N → N such that for all m, n ∈ N,

(2m + 1)f (n)f (2m n) = 2m f (n)2 + f (2m n)2 + (2m − 1)2 n.

80. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x − f (y)) = f (f (y)) − 2xf (y) + f (x) ∀x, y ∈ R.

81. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (f (x) − y 2 ) = f (x)2 − 2f (x)y 2 + f (f (y)) ∀x, y ∈ R.

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82. Find all functions f : [0, +∞) → [0, +∞) such that:

f (x + f (x) + 2y) = 2x + f (2f (y)) ∀x, y ∈ [0, +∞).

83. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x2 ) + f (xy) = f (x)f (y) + yf (x) + xf (x + y)

for all x, y ∈ R.
84. Find all functions f : Q → Q such that

f (x + f (x) + 2y) = 2x + 2f (f (y)) ∀x, y ∈ Q.

85. Find all functions f : R → R such that

• f ( x+f2 (x) + y + f (2z)) = 2x− f (x)+ f (f (f (y)))+ 2f (f (z)) ∀x, y, z ∈ R,

• f (f (0)) = f (0).
86. Find all functions f : R+ → R+ which satisfy the following conditions:
• f (x + f (y)) = f (x)f (y) for all x, y > 0;
• there are at most finitely many x with f (x) = 1.
87. Find all functions f : N ∪ {0} → N ∪ {0} such that for all m, n ∈ N ∪ {0},

mf (n) + nf (m) = (m + n)f (m2 + n2 ).

88. Find all functions f : (0, 1) → R such that

f (xyz) = xf (x) + yf (y) + zf (z)

for all real numbers x, y, z ∈ (0, 1).

89. Find all functions f : Z (→ Z satisfying the condition: f (x3 + y 3 + z 3 ) =
f (x)3 + f (y)3 + f (z)3 .
90. Determine all real functions f (x) that are defined and continuous on the
interval (−1, 1) and that satisfy the functional equation

f (x) + f (y)
f (x + y) = (x, y, x + y ∈ (−1, 1)).
1 − f (x)f (y)

91. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (xn + 2f (y)) = (f (x))n + y + f (y) ∀x, y ∈ R, n ∈ Z≥2 .

92. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x2 + y 2 ) = f (x2 ) + f (y 2 ) + 2f (x)f (y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

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93. Find all functions f : R → R such that
2
f (x + y)f (x − y) = (f (x) + f (y)) − 4x2 f (y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

94. Find all injective functions f : N → R such that

f (1) = 2, f (2) = 4, and f (f (m) + f (n)) = f (f (m)) + f (n) ∀m, n ∈ N.

95. Find all functions f : R+ → R+ such that for any real numbers a, b, c, d > 0
satisfying abcd = 1, we have

(f (a) + f (b))(f (c) + f (d)) = (a + b)(c + d).

96. Find all functions f : R → R such that

# # $$ # $
2 2 1 1
f (x ) f (x) + f =1+f ∀x, y ∈ R \ {0}.
y2 xy

97. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (f (x) − f (y)) = f (f (x)) − 2x2 f (y) + f (y 2 ) ∀x, y ∈ R.

98. Find all functions f : R+ → R+ such that

# $
1 1
f (x + 1) = f (x) + 1 and f = ∀x, y ∈ R+ .
f (x) x

99. Find all functions f : R → R such that

f (x + f (x)f (y)) = f (x) + xf (y) ∀x, y ∈ R.

100. Find all continuous functions f : R → R such that

f (x) + f (y) − f (x + y) = xy ∀x, y ∈ R.

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