Let $\mathbb Z$ be the set of all integers. Find all functions $f:\mathbb Z\to\mathbb Z$ satisfying the following conditions: 1. $f(f(x))=xf(x)-x^2+2$ for all $x\in\mathbb Z$; 2. $f$ takes all integer values. (I. Voronovich)
Problem
Source: 2019 Belarus Team Selection Test 8.2
Tags: algebra, functional equation, function
02.09.2019 12:21
Define the set $S$ as the set of values $a$ for which $f(a)=a+1$. Step 1: $S$ is nonempty Setting $x=f(x)$ yields $$f(f(f(x)))=f(xf(x)-x^2+2)=f(x)f(f(x))-f(x)^2+2 = xf(x)^2-x^2f(x)+2f(x)-f(x)^2+2\qquad (1)$$after a bit of simplification. Since there exists a $d$ such that $f(d)=1$, putting $x=d$ in $(1)$ yields $f(f(1))=f(d-d^2+2)=d-d^2+3$ hence $d-d^2+2\in S$. Step 2: $a\in S\implies a+1\in S$. Suppose $f(a)=a+1$. Then setting $x=a$ yields $f(a+1) = a(a+1)-a^2+2 = a+2$, so by a simple induction there are infinitely many elements in $S$. Step 3: $a\in S\implies a-1 \in S$. Suppose $t\in S$. Then there exists a $c$ such that $f(c)=t$. Plugging $x=c$ in the original equation gives $t+1=t(c-c^2)+2$, and solving this we find $c=1$ or $c=t-1$. But $f(1)$ only has one value, so $1$ is the only possible integer not in $S$ (for all other $t$, $c=t-1\implies t-1 \in S$). However, since $f$ is surjective, and every other integer $k$ has $f(k)=k+1$, it must be that $f(1)=2$, and so $1\in S$. Therefore $S=\mathbb{Z}$, and so the only function is $f(x)=x+1$ - and it is easy to verify that this function satisfies the two conditions.
03.09.2019 07:10
I think condition (2) can be dropped.
03.09.2019 11:00
Great solution!
24.01.2024 12:56
i hope my partial solution is correct $ff(x)=xf(x)-x^2+2$ from surjectivity there exists $k$ such that $f(k)=1$ let's swap $x$ with $k$ $f(1)=k-k^2+2$ $k^2-k-2+f(1)=0$ we know that there exists at least $k$ so look at the dscrimnant of this quadratic equation $\sqrt{(9-4f(1))} \geq 0$ $9 \geq 4f(1)$ $f(1)$ can take values $[2,-infinty)$ $Case1:$ $f(1)=2$ from easy induction we can deduce $f(x)=x+1$ $Case2:$ $f(1)=1$ Let's put $1$ to $x$ $ff(1)=f(1)+1$ which is contradicition. $Case3:$ $f(1)=0$ $f(0)=1$ Let's put $0$ to $x$ $ff(0)=2=0$ contradicition. $Case4:$ $f(1)=-c$ where $c$ in $ \mathbb{Z+}$ $f(-c)=-c+1$ and induction $f(x)=x+1$ from some $-c$ what about the values of $f(x)$ untill $-c$ ? i stuck on this part maybe someone could help me i think surjectivity can help us