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k a June Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
Jun 2, 2025
Congratulations to all the mathletes who competed at National MATHCOUNTS! If you missed the exciting Countdown Round, you can watch the video at this link. Are you interested in training for MATHCOUNTS or AMC 10 contests? How would you like to train for these math competitions in half the time? We have accelerated sections which meet twice per week instead of once starting on July 8th (7:30pm ET). These sections fill quickly so enroll today!

[list][*]MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Basics
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[*]AMC 10 Problem Series[/list]
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Summer camps are starting this month at the Virtual Campus in math and language arts that are 2 - to 4 - weeks in duration. Spaces are still available - don’t miss your chance to have a transformative summer experience. There are middle and high school competition math camps as well as Math Beasts camps that review key topics coupled with fun explorations covering areas such as graph theory (Math Beasts Camp 6), cryptography (Math Beasts Camp 7-8), and topology (Math Beasts Camp 8-9)!

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0 replies
1 viewing
jlacosta
Jun 2, 2025
0 replies
k i Adding contests to the Contest Collections
dcouchman   1
N Apr 5, 2023 by v_Enhance
Want to help AoPS remain a valuable Olympiad resource? Help us add contests to AoPS's Contest Collections.

Find instructions and a list of contests to add here: https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c40244h1064480_contests_to_add
1 reply
dcouchman
Sep 9, 2019
v_Enhance
Apr 5, 2023
k i Zero tolerance
ZetaX   49
N May 4, 2019 by NoDealsHere
Source: Use your common sense! (enough is enough)
Some users don't want to learn, some other simply ignore advises.
But please follow the following guideline:


To make it short: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!
If you don't have common sense, don't post.


More specifically:

For new threads:


a) Good, meaningful title:
The title has to say what the problem is about in best way possible.
If that title occured already, it's definitely bad. And contest names aren't good either.
That's in fact a requirement for being able to search old problems.

Examples:
Bad titles:
- "Hard"/"Medium"/"Easy" (if you find it so cool how hard/easy it is, tell it in the post and use a title that tells us the problem)
- "Number Theory" (hey guy, guess why this forum's named that way¿ and is it the only such problem on earth¿)
- "Fibonacci" (there are millions of Fibonacci problems out there, all posted and named the same...)
- "Chinese TST 2003" (does this say anything about the problem¿)
Good titles:
- "On divisors of a³+2b³+4c³-6abc"
- "Number of solutions to x²+y²=6z²"
- "Fibonacci numbers are never squares"


b) Use search function:
Before posting a "new" problem spend at least two, better five, minutes to look if this problem was posted before. If it was, don't repost it. If you have anything important to say on topic, post it in one of the older threads.
If the thread is locked cause of this, use search function.

Update (by Amir Hossein). The best way to search for two keywords in AoPS is to input
[code]+"first keyword" +"second keyword"[/code]
so that any post containing both strings "first word" and "second form".


c) Good problem statement:
Some recent really bad post was:
[quote]$lim_{n\to 1}^{+\infty}\frac{1}{n}-lnn$[/quote]
It contains no question and no answer.
If you do this, too, you are on the best way to get your thread deleted. Write everything clearly, define where your variables come from (and define the "natural" numbers if used). Additionally read your post at least twice before submitting. After you sent it, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.


For answers to already existing threads:


d) Of any interest and with content:
Don't post things that are more trivial than completely obvious. For example, if the question is to solve $x^{3}+y^{3}=z^{3}$, do not answer with "$x=y=z=0$ is a solution" only. Either you post any kind of proof or at least something unexpected (like "$x=1337, y=481, z=42$ is the smallest solution). Someone that does not see that $x=y=z=0$ is a solution of the above without your post is completely wrong here, this is an IMO-level forum.
Similar, posting "I have solved this problem" but not posting anything else is not welcome; it even looks that you just want to show off what a genius you are.

e) Well written and checked answers:
Like c) for new threads, check your solutions at least twice for mistakes. And after sending, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.



To repeat it: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!


Everything definitely out of range of common sense will be locked or deleted (exept for new users having less than about 42 posts, they are newbies and need/get some time to learn).

The above rules will be applied from next monday (5. march of 2007).
Feel free to discuss on this here.
49 replies
ZetaX
Feb 27, 2007
NoDealsHere
May 4, 2019
Inequality
doquocchinh   0
19 minutes ago
Let \( a, b, c \) be non-negative real numbers satisfying \( ab + bc + ca > 0 \) and \( a + b + c = 3 \). Prove that:
\[
3(ab + bc + ca) \left( \frac{a + b}{b + c} + \frac{b + c}{c + a} + \frac{c + a}{a + b} \right) \geq 23 + \frac{t^3(21 - 5t)}{2(3 - t)}
\]where \( t = \sqrt[3]{abc} \).
0 replies
doquocchinh
19 minutes ago
0 replies
1978 USAMO #1
Mrdavid445   56
N 22 minutes ago by SomeonecoolLovesMaths
Given that $a,b,c,d,e$ are real numbers such that

$a+b+c+d+e=8$,
$a^2+b^2+c^2+d^2+e^2=16$.

Determine the maximum value of $e$.
56 replies
Mrdavid445
Aug 16, 2011
SomeonecoolLovesMaths
22 minutes ago
High School Olympiads Tackle IMO Problems
InternationalUniLatex   0
29 minutes ago
Source: IMO 2008 - Problem 2
(i) If $x$, $y$ and $z$ are three real numbers, all different from $1$, such that $xyz = 1$, then prove that $\frac {x^{2}}{\left(x - 1\right)^{2}} + \frac {y^{2}}{\left(y - 1\right)^{2}} + \frac {z^{2}}{\left(z - 1\right)^{2}} \geq 1$. (With the $\sum$ sign for cyclic summation, this inequality could be rewritten as $\sum \frac {x^{2}}{\left(x - 1\right)^{2}} \geq 1$.)

(ii) Prove that equality is achieved for infinitely many triples of rational numbers $x$, $y$ and $z$.

0 replies
InternationalUniLatex
29 minutes ago
0 replies
Not homogenous, messy inequality
Kimchiks926   12
N 37 minutes ago by SomeonecoolLovesMaths
Source: Latvian TST for Baltic Way 2019 Problem 1
Prove that for all positive real numbers $a, b, c$ with $\frac{1}{a}+\frac{1}{b}+\frac{1}{c} =1$ the following inequality holds:
$$3(ab+bc+ca)+\frac{9}{a+b+c} \le \frac{9abc}{a+b+c} + 2(a^2+b^2+c^2)+1$$
12 replies
Kimchiks926
May 29, 2020
SomeonecoolLovesMaths
37 minutes ago
USA 97 [1/(b^3+c^3+abc) + ... >= 1/(abc)]
Maverick   48
N an hour ago by SomeonecoolLovesMaths
Source: USAMO 1997/5; also: ineq E2.37 in Book: Inegalitati; Authors:L.Panaitopol,V. Bandila,M.Lascu
Prove that, for all positive real numbers $ a$, $ b$, $ c$, the inequality
\[ \frac {1}{a^3 + b^3 + abc} + \frac {1}{b^3 + c^3 + abc} + \frac {1}{c^3 + a^3 + abc} \leq \frac {1}{abc}
\]
holds.
48 replies
Maverick
Sep 12, 2003
SomeonecoolLovesMaths
an hour ago
Hi inequalities
bjump   4
N an hour ago by SomeonecoolLovesMaths
Source: OTIS, Kyle Wu
For positive real numbers $a$, $b$, and $c$ with $a+b+c=1$ prove that
$$\frac{b^{2}+c^{2}}{1+a}+\frac{c^{2}+a^{2}}{1+b}+ \frac{a^{2}+b^{2}}{1+c} \geq \frac{1}{2}$$
4 replies
bjump
Jan 21, 2024
SomeonecoolLovesMaths
an hour ago
Replacing OH with any line through the centroid G???
Sid-darth-vater   3
N an hour ago by oolite
Source: APMO 2004/2
Let $O$ be the circumcenter and $H$ the orthocenter of an acute triangle $ABC.$ Prove that the area of one of the triangles $AOH, BOH,$ and $COH$ is equal to the sum of the areas of the other two.

Basically, I was able to solve this question using the centroid but without moving line OH.
Here is a quick sketch of what I did: All triangles have base of OH so you just have to show that two altitudes to line OH add up to the third. WLOG, let triangle AOH have the largest area and let A', B', C' denote altitudes from their respective points to line OH. This is euler line so G also lies on OH. Let AG instersect BC at M (which is a median) and let M' denote altitude onto OH. Note that M'M = 0.5 * AA' and since BCC'B' is trapezoid and M is midpoint, MM' = 0.5 (BB' + CC') so equate the two and we are done.

In Evan Chen's EGMO book, he says you can replace line $OH$ with any line through the centroid $G$ and I have no clue as to why that is true. Plz help
3 replies
Sid-darth-vater
4 hours ago
oolite
an hour ago
Functional xf(x+f(y))=(y-x)f(f(x)) for all reals x,y
cretanman   61
N an hour ago by HDavisWashu
Source: BMO 2023 Problem 1
Find all functions $f\colon \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that for all $x,y \in \mathbb{R}$,
\[xf(x+f(y))=(y-x)f(f(x)).\]
Proposed by Nikola Velov, Macedonia
61 replies
cretanman
May 10, 2023
HDavisWashu
an hour ago
Increments and Decrements in Square Grid
ike.chen   24
N an hour ago by fearsum_fyz
Source: ISL 2022/C3
In each square of a garden shaped like a $2022 \times 2022$ board, there is initially a tree of height $0$. A gardener and a lumberjack alternate turns playing the following game, with the gardener taking the first turn:
[list]
[*] The gardener chooses a square in the garden. Each tree on that square and all the surrounding squares (of which there are at most eight) then becomes one unit taller.
[*] The lumberjack then chooses four different squares on the board. Each tree of positive height on those squares then becomes one unit shorter.
[/list]
We say that a tree is majestic if its height is at least $10^6$. Determine the largest $K$ such that the gardener can ensure there are eventually $K$ majestic trees on the board, no matter how the lumberjack plays.
24 replies
ike.chen
Jul 9, 2023
fearsum_fyz
an hour ago
Weirdly stated but cool collinearity
Rijul saini   5
N 2 hours ago by ihategeo_1969
Source: LMAO Revenge 2025 Day 1 Problem 2
Let Mary choose any non-degenerate $\triangle ABC$. Let $I$ be its incenter, $I_A$ be its $A$-excenter, $N_A$ be midpoint of arc $BAC$, $M$ is the midpoint of $BC$.

Let $H \neq I$ be the intersection of the line $N_AI$ with $(BIC)$, $F$ be the intersection of the angle bisector of $\angle BAC$ with the line $BC$.

Ana now draws the points $P \neq H$ ,the intersection of line $I_AH$ with $(HIF)$ and $Q$ ,the intersection of $(HIM)$ and $(AN_AI_A)$ such that $I_AH < I_AQ$. Ana wins if the points $A, P, Q$ are collinear. Who has a winning strategy?
5 replies
Rijul saini
Jun 4, 2025
ihategeo_1969
2 hours ago
old and easy imo inequality
Valentin Vornicu   217
N 2 hours ago by SomeonecoolLovesMaths
Source: IMO 2000, Problem 2, IMO Shortlist 2000, A1
Let $ a, b, c$ be positive real numbers so that $ abc = 1$. Prove that
\[ \left( a - 1 + \frac 1b \right) \left( b - 1 + \frac 1c \right) \left( c - 1 + \frac 1a \right) \leq 1.
\]
217 replies
Valentin Vornicu
Oct 24, 2005
SomeonecoolLovesMaths
2 hours ago
One of the lines is tangent
Rijul saini   9
N 2 hours ago by Captainscrubz
Source: LMAO 2025 Day 2 Problem 2
Let $ABC$ be a scalene triangle with incircle $\omega$. Denote by $N$ the midpoint of arc $BAC$ in the circumcircle of $ABC$, and by $D$ the point where the $A$-excircle touches $BC$. Suppose the circumcircle of $AND$ meets $BC$ again at $P \neq D$ and intersects $\omega$ at two points $X$, $Y$.

Prove that either $PX$ or $PY$ is tangent to $\omega$.

Proposed by Sanjana Philo Chacko
9 replies
Rijul saini
Jun 4, 2025
Captainscrubz
2 hours ago
Cyclic Quadrilateral in a Square
tobiSALT   3
N 2 hours ago by Sid-darth-vater
Source: Cono Sur 2025 #1
Given a square $ABCD$, let $P$ be a point on the segment $BC$ and let $G$ be the intersection point of $AP$ with the diagonal $DB$. The line perpendicular to the segment $AP$ through $G$ intersects the side $CD$ at point $E$. Let $K$ be a point on the segment $GE$ such that $AK = PE$. Let $Q$ be the intersection point of the diagonal $AC$ and the segment $KP$.
Prove that the points $E, K, Q,$ and $C$ are concyclic.
3 replies
tobiSALT
3 hours ago
Sid-darth-vater
2 hours ago
Very easy number theory
darij grinberg   103
N 2 hours ago by Siddharthmaybe
Source: IMO Shortlist 2000, N1, 6th Kolmogorov Cup, 1-8 December 2002, 1st round, 1st league,
Determine all positive integers $ n\geq 2$ that satisfy the following condition: for all $ a$ and $ b$ relatively prime to $ n$ we have \[a \equiv b \pmod n\qquad\text{if and only if}\qquad ab\equiv 1 \pmod n.\]
103 replies
darij grinberg
Aug 6, 2004
Siddharthmaybe
2 hours ago
Hard functional equation
pablock   31
N Apr 12, 2025 by bin_sherlo
Source: Brazil National Olympiad 2019 #3
Let $\mathbb{R}_{>0}$ be the set of the positive real numbers. Find all functions $f:\mathbb{R}_{>0} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}_{>0}$ such that $$f(xy+f(x))=f(f(x)f(y))+x$$for all positive real numbers $x$ and $y$.
31 replies
pablock
Nov 14, 2019
bin_sherlo
Apr 12, 2025
Hard functional equation
G H J
G H BBookmark kLocked kLocked NReply
Source: Brazil National Olympiad 2019 #3
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pablock
168 posts
#1 • 12 Y
Y by UK2019Project, anantmudgal09, justkeeptrying, ZeusDM, ArthurQ, MrK2, Kamran011, HWenslawski, MathLuis, Adventure10, abab, Sedro
Let $\mathbb{R}_{>0}$ be the set of the positive real numbers. Find all functions $f:\mathbb{R}_{>0} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}_{>0}$ such that $$f(xy+f(x))=f(f(x)f(y))+x$$for all positive real numbers $x$ and $y$.
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by pablock, Nov 14, 2019, 6:47 PM
Z K Y
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TuZo
19351 posts
#2 • 3 Y
Y by HWenslawski, Adventure10, Mango247
Hint: change $x$ by $y$ then substract.
Z K Y
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Zelderis
339 posts
#3 • 3 Y
Y by hef4875, Adventure10, Mango247
Hint
Z K Y
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terg
88 posts
#4 • 5 Y
Y by ZeusDM, Cycle, Lyte188, ThisNameIsNotAvailable, Adventure10
The following solution is strongly inspired by the one the person that proposed this problem showed me.
First, we'll prove
\[
    f(x)\geq x \text{                               }(1).
\]
For fixed $x$, took any $u>f(x)$. Then, for $b = \frac{u-f(x)}{x}$

\[
f(u) = f(f(x)f(b))+x > x
\]\[
\Rightarrow f(u) > x, \forall x \in \mathbb{R}_{>0}
\]
So, if exists $x>f(x)$, then we can substitute $u=x$ in the previous inequality and get $f(x)>x$, which contradicts $x>f(x)$. This implies on the original equation

\[
    f(xy+f(x) \geq f(x)f(y) + x  \text{                               }(2)
\]
Let us prove that $x<1 \Rightarrow f(x)<1$.
For $a<1$, took $b=\frac{f(x)}{1-x}$ in $(2)$

\[
f(b) \geq f(a)f(b) + a \Rightarrow f(a) \leq 1 - \frac{a}{f(b)} < 1.
\]
Now, we'll prove that for every $x<1$, if $f(x)\neq x$, then $f(x)\geq 1-x$. Took inequality $(2)$ in the form

\[
f(x) \leq \frac{f(xy+f(x))-x}{f(y)} \leq \frac{f(xy+f(x))-x}{y}
\]
For a fixed $x<1$, took any $y$ such that $xy+f(x)<1$. Then

\[
f(x) < \frac{1-x}{y} \Rightarrow y < \frac{1-x}{f(x)}.
\]
This shows that for every value of $y<\frac{1-f(x)}{x}$, we have $y<\frac{1-x}{f(x)}$. Which means that doesn't exists $y$ such that $\frac{1-x}{f(x)}<y<\frac{1-f(x)}{x}$. This implies

\[
\frac{1-x}{f(x)} \geq \frac{1-f(x)}{x}
\]
\[
(f(x)-x)(f(x)+x-1)\geq 0
\]
And the desired result follows from this inequality.

Let $M=\min{\left \{\frac{1}{2}, \frac{1-f(2/3)}{2/3} \right \}}$. Now we'll prove that for every $x\in (0, M), f(x)=x$. Suppose for sake of contradiction that it's false. Then took $u\in (0, M)$ such that $f(u)\neq u$. This implies $f(u)\geq 1-u$. Take $x=2/3, y=u$ in $(2)$. As $u<M$, we have $(2/3)u+f(2/3)<(2/3)M+f(2/3)\leq 1$. Then

\[
1>f((2/3)u+f(2/3))\geq f(2/3)f(u)+2/3
\]\[
1/3 > (1-u)f(2/3)\geq f(2/3)(1/2) \Rightarrow f(2/3)<2/3
\]
which is absurd as $f(2/3)\geq 2/3$. Now we can finally prove that the only solution is $f(x)=x$. First, take fixed points $x$ and $y<1$. The original equation for these values give us

\[
f(x(y+1))=f(xy)+x=x(y+1)
\]
So $x(y+1)$ is also a fixed point. Suppose that exists a maximal $N$ such that for every $x\in(0, N)$, $f(x)=x$ - the last fact showed that exists such $N$ that makes this interval non-trivial. But observe that for every $u\in (N, (1+\min{\{ 1, N \}})N)$ - which is a non empty interval - we also have $f(u)=u$. First, $f(N)=N$ - just took $n$ sufficiently big such that $0<\frac{1}{2^nN-1}<\min{1, N}$ and then took $x=N-\frac{1}{2^n}$ and $y=\frac{1}{2^nN-1}$. Now, took $x=N$ and $y=\frac{u-N}{N}$ - which satisfies $0<y<1$ - in the previous result and we have $f(u)=u$. So, we got an interval $(0, (1+\min{\{ 1, N \}})N)$ such that every point inside it is fixed, and it's stricly bigger then the previous one, which contradicts the hypothesis of $N$ maximal. So, as such $N$ doesn't exists, we have that every point in $(0, + \infty)$ is fixed.
This post has been edited 5 times. Last edited by terg, Nov 15, 2019, 9:55 PM
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Cycle
79 posts
#5 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Is there a solution that uses the injectivity of $f$?
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Krm
29 posts
#6 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
Cycle wrote:
Is there a solution that uses the injectivity of $f$?

Yes,
f(xy+f(x)) =f(f(x)f(y)) + x
f(xy+f(y))=f(f(x)f(y)) + y
Subtracting with y=0
f(f(x))=x+f(f(0))
Now f is bijective.
Plugging y=0 again
f(f(x)) =x+f(f(x)f(0))
Hence f(0)=0 because f is bijective and f(f(0))=f(f(x)f(0))
f(f(x)) =x
Put x=c such that f(c) =1, and y:=y-c
f(cy+1-c^2)=y=f(f(y))
cy+1-c^2=f(y)
f(x) = cx+1-c^2
It is easy to check that c=-+1.
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by Krm, Nov 15, 2019, 11:33 AM
Reason: Typo
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pco
23515 posts
#7 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Krm wrote:
Subtracting with y=0
You can not since $0$ does not belong to the domain (positive reals)
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Krm
29 posts
#8 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
Oh sorry.
Thank you anyway
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Pathological
578 posts
#9 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
We claim that the only solution is $f \equiv x$, which is trivially a solution.

Notice that if $x > f(x)$, we know from $P(x, \frac{x - f(x)}{x})$ that $f(x) > x$, which is clearly absurd.

Hence, we must have that

$$f(x) \ge x, \forall x \in \mathbb{R}.$$
At this point, we may assume that $f(t) > t$ for some $t \in \mathbb{R}$, as otherwise we arrive at our solution $f \equiv x.$

We know that for any $\epsilon > 0$, we have by $P(t, \epsilon)$ that:

$$t \epsilon + f(t) \le f(t \epsilon + f(x)) = f(f(t)f(\epsilon)) + t,$$
i.e.

$$f(f(t)f(\epsilon)) > f(t) - t.$$
Let $f(t) - t = c$ and $f(t) = d.$

Lemma 1. There is some real $x$ so that $f(x) \ge 3x.$

Proof. Select an arbitrarily small $\epsilon > 0$, so that $9 \epsilon d < c.$ We have $f(f( \epsilon) d) > c.$ If $f(\epsilon) > 3\epsilon$, we're done. Else we have $f(\epsilon) d < \frac{c}{3}.$ But then we have $f(f(\epsilon)d) > 3 f(\epsilon) d,$ so we're again done.

$\blacksquare$

Lemma 2. We have that $f(x) > 2x$ for sufficiently large $x.$

Proof. Let $a$ be a real number so that $f(a) \ge 3a$, which exists by Lemma $1.$ We have that $f(ay + f(a)) = f(f(a)f(y)) + a \ge 3ay + a$. For $y$ sufficiently large, we have $f(ay + f(a)) > 2(ay + f(a)),$ and so the lemma is proven.

$\blacksquare$

Suppose that there is a constant $C > 10^{10^{10^{10}}}$ so that for all $x > C$, we have $f(x) > 2x.$ Fix a constant $\ell = C+1.$

Claim. For all real numbers $n > f(\ell) + C \ell$, there exists some $m > n$ with $f(m) = f(n) - \ell.$

Proof. Let $y = \frac{n - f(\ell)}{\ell}.$ By $P(\ell, y)$, we have that $f(f(\ell)f(y)) = f(n) - \ell$, so we just need to show that $f(\ell)f(y) > n,$ i.e. $f(\ell)f(y) > f(\ell) + \ell y.$ We have that

$$f(\ell)( f(y) - 1) > f(\ell)(2y -1) > f(\ell) y > \ell y,$$
so this is clearly true.

$\blacksquare$

Select some arbitrary real $n > f(\ell) + C \ell.$ Let $f(n) = k$. Then, by the Claim applied $\left \lceil k \right \rceil$ times, we know that there is some real number $t > n$ so that $f(t) = k - \left \lceil k \right \rceil \cdot \ell$. However this is negative, absurd.

Hence, there is no solution where $f(x) > x$ for some $x \in \mathbb{R}$, and so the only solution is $f \equiv x$.

$\square$
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ZeusDM
102 posts
#10 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Pathological wrote:
Proof of Lemma 1. ... Else we have $f(\epsilon) d < \frac{c}{3}.$ ...

Why $f(\epsilon)f(t) < \frac{f(t) - t}{3}$?
Pathological wrote:
Proof of Lemma 2. ... We have that $f(ay + f(a)) = f(f(a)f(y)) + a \ge 3ay + a$. For $y$ sufficiently large, we have $f(ay + f(a)) > 2(ay + f(a)),$ and so the lemma is proven.

How do we have $f(ay + f(a)) > 2(ay + f(a))$?
This post has been edited 3 times. Last edited by ZeusDM, Nov 16, 2019, 6:06 PM
Reason: Fixing typo.
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Pathological
578 posts
#11 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
ZeusDM wrote:
Why $f(\epsilon)f(t) < \frac{f(t) - t}{3}$?

We selected $\epsilon$ so that $9 \epsilon d < c$. If $f(\epsilon) \le 3 \epsilon$, that means that $3f(\epsilon) d \le 9 \epsilon d < c$, so $f(\epsilon)d < \frac{c}{3}.$
ZeusDM wrote:
How do we have $f(ay + f(a)) > 2(ay + f(a))$?

For sufficiently large $y$, we have that $3ay+a > 2(ay + f(a)).$ Since $f(ay + f(a))  \ge 3ay + a$ for all $y \in \mathbb{R}$, this means that $f(ay + f(a)) \ge 3ay + a > 2(ay + f(a))$ for sufficiently large $y.$
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Pathological, Nov 16, 2019, 6:27 PM
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AlexGr
19 posts
#12 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
Assuming I haven't found an easier solution or at least it hasn't been drawn to my attention I would say this is easily a p3 or p6 for an imo lvl competition
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ZeusDM
102 posts
#13 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
@Pathological
Gotcha! Thanks ;)
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Victor23TT
16 posts
#14 • 7 Y
Y by Cycle, justkeeptrying, AlastorMoody, pablock, laikhanhhoang_3011, ZETA_in_olympiad, Adventure10
I'm the proposer. I'm glad that many people liked the problem. And thanks, terg, for posting the solution. Maybe I'll translate the original later, but you already saved me some work.
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mela_20-15
125 posts
#15 • 2 Y
Y by ArthurQ, Adventure10
Nice problem!
First we show that $f(x)\ge x$.
Click to reveal hidden text
Then we show that $f(b)>b$ cannot hold for any $b$ because in that case we would be able to produce
a sequence of values of $f$ tending to $-\infty$.

Click to reveal hidden text
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MarkBcc168
1595 posts
#17 • 1 Y
Y by MS_asdfgzxcvb
Only identity function work. Let $P(x,y)$ denote the assertion $f(xy+f(x)) = f(f(x)f(y))+x$. First, we give a nontrivial bound of $f$.

Claim: $f(x)\geq x$ for any $x$.

Proof: If $f(x)<x$, then $P\left(x,\tfrac{x-f(x)}{x}\right)$ gives $f(x) = f(\text{stuff}) + x$ which is contradiction. $\blacksquare$

From now, assume that $f(t)>t$ for some $t>0$. Call a positive real $c$ tasty if and only if there exists real $M$ which $f(x)\geq cx$ for any $x>M$. We prove two claims about tasty numbers which eventually lead us to deduce that $f$ grows faster than linear.

Claim: Any $c < \tfrac{f(t)}{t}$ is tasty.

Proof: Since $f(f(x)f(y))\geq f(x)f(y) \geq yf(x)$, the claim follows from
$$P\left(t,\frac{x-f(t)}{t}\right)\implies f(x)\geq f(t)\cdot \frac{x-f(t)}{t} + t. \blacksquare$$
Claim: If $c$ is tasty, then any constant $c_1 < c^3$ is tasty.

Proof: Indeed, if $x,y>M$, then
$$f(xy+f(x)) \geq cf(x)f(y)+x \geq c^3xy+x$$By varying $y$, we see that $f(k)\geq c^3k-O(1)$ when $k>M^2+f(x)$. This gives the result. $\blacksquare$

Thus any positive real number is tasty. Therefore we can assume that $f(x)>1000x$ for any $x>M$. Now choose $\varepsilon > 0$ so that $T=\frac{f(1-\varepsilon)}{\varepsilon} > 2020M$. This is possible since $f(1-\varepsilon)\geq 1-\varepsilon$. Then consider
$$P(1-\varepsilon, T)\implies f(T) \geq 1000f(1-\varepsilon)f(T) + (1-\varepsilon)$$which means $f(1-\varepsilon) < \tfrac{1}{1000}$, contradiction.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by MarkBcc168, Feb 25, 2020, 10:43 AM
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bumjoooon
165 posts
#18
Y by
Is there proof not using ratio but proving $f(x) < x+c$ is impossible?
I think it is almost impossible to do in this way.
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v_Enhance
6882 posts
#19 • 7 Y
Y by Kanep, MrK2, pablock, v4913, crazyeyemoody907, centslordm, MS_asdfgzxcvb
Solution with several collaborators:

Claim: We have $f(x) \ge x$ for all $x$.
Proof. Assume for contradiction $f(x) < x$ for some $x$. Then $P\left( x, \frac{x-f(x)}{x} \right)$ gives $f(x) = f(\text{blah}) + x$ or $f(\text{blah}) = f(x)-x$, contradiction. $\blacksquare$

Claim: The limit $\lim_{t \to 0} f(t)$ exists and equals zero.
Proof. First, an independent lemma: we claim that $\boxed{f(x) < 1 \; \forall x < 1}$. Indeed, whenever $x < 1$, we can find $y$ such that $xy + f(x) = y$; then \[ f(y) = f(xy+f(x)) = f(f(x)f(y))+x > f(f(x)f(y)) \ge f(x)f(y) \]which implies the boxed lemma.

Back to the proof of the claim. Let $0 < \varepsilon < \frac{1}{2}$ be given and choose $x = 1 - \varepsilon$. Then let $\delta$ be any number with $\delta < 1-f(x)$. Then $P(x, \delta)$ gives \[ 1 \ge f(\underbrace{f(x) + \delta \cdot x}_{<1}) 		= x + f(f(x)f(\delta)) > (1-\varepsilon) + f(x)f(\delta). \]Since $x > 1/2$, we have $f(x) > 1/2$. In conclusion we have prove the statement \[ f(\delta) < 2\varepsilon \qquad 		\forall 0 < \varepsilon < \frac{1}{2} \text{ and } \delta < 1-f(1-\varepsilon) \]So this implies the limit condition. $\blacksquare$

Fix any $x$ and consider small $y$; we have \[ x \le f(x) < xy + f(x) \le f(xy+f(x)) = x + f(f(x)f(y)). \]Since $\lim_{y \to 0} f(f(x)f(y)) = 0$ by applying the last claim twice, this implies $f(x) = x$ for all $x$.
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freeman66
452 posts
#20
Y by
v_Enhance wrote:
Solution with several collaborators:

How do you even coordinate this kind of thing XD
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BOBTHEGR8
272 posts
#22
Y by
Solution -
We will show that $f(x) = x$ is the only solution, firstly note that it satisfies given equation .
Now let $f$ be any function satisfying the assertion which we shall call $P(x,y)$.
Here goes a list of claims -

Claim 1 - If $t\geq f(s)$ then $f(t) \geq s$.
Proof

Claim 2 - $f(f(s)) \geq s \hspace{0.25cm} \forall s \in \mathbb{R}_{>0}$
Proof

Claim 3 - $\frac{f(s)}{s} < f(2) \hspace{0.25cm} \forall s \in \mathbb{R}_{>0}$
Proof

Claim 4 - $f(f(x)) = x \hspace{0.25cm} \forall x \in \mathbb{R}_{>0}$ and hence it is a bijection .
Proof

Claim 5 - $f(1)=1$
Proof

Claim 6 - $f(x) = x \hspace{0.25cm} \forall x \in \mathbb{R}_{>0}$
Proof
This post has been edited 3 times. Last edited by BOBTHEGR8, Jun 23, 2021, 5:53 PM
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rama1728
800 posts
#23 • 2 Y
Y by guptaamitu1, kvedula2004
pablock wrote:
Let $\mathbb{R}_{>0}$ be the set of the positive real numbers. Find all functions $f:\mathbb{R}_{>0} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}_{>0}$ such that $$f(xy+f(x))=f(f(x)f(y))+x$$for all positive real numbers $x$ and $y$.

Solution. We prove three claims.

Claim 1. \(f(x)\geq x\).
Proof. Assume there exists \(a\) so that \(f(a)<a\). Then, \(P\left(x,\frac{x-f(x)}{x}\right)\) gives \(f(M)=f(x)-x>0\), a contradiction.

Claim 2. \(f(x)<1\) for all \(x<1\).
Proof. For \(x<1\), choose \(y\) so that \(xy+f(x)=y\). Then, \[f(y)=f(xy+f(x))=f(f(x)f(y))+x>f(x)f(y)+x>f(x)f(y)\]and so we are done.

Claim 3. \(\lim_{t\rightarrow0}f(t)=0\).
Proof. Choose \(0<\epsilon<1\) arbitrarily small. Then \(1-\epsilon\in(0,1)\). Also choose \(\lambda\) such that \[(1-\epsilon)\lambda+f(1-\epsilon)<1\]Then, \(x=1-\epsilon\) and \(y=\lambda\) gives \[1>f(x\lambda+f(x))=f(f(x)f(\lambda))+x=f(f(x)f(\lambda))+1-\epsilon\]so \[0<f(f(x)f(\lambda))<\epsilon\]and since \(\epsilon\) is arbitrarily small, we have that \(f(f(x)f(\lambda))\) tends to \(0\). Now, \(P(x,\lambda)\) gives \[x\leq f(x)<x\lambda+f(x)\leq f(x\lambda+f(x))=f((x)f(\lambda))+x\]and since \(f(f(x)f(\lambda))\) tends to \(0\), \(f(x)=x\). Switching \(x\) and \(\lambda\) gives \(f(\lambda)=\lambda\). Therefore, we have that \(f(x)f(\lambda)=x\lambda\) (since \(f(x)=x\) for \(x<1\)) which tends to \(0\), if we choose \(\lambda\) sufficiently small. Therefore, as \(f(x)f(\lambda)\) tends to \(0\), it's image also tends to \(0\), as desired.

Finally, if we fix \(x=x_0\) and choose \(y=\delta\) sufficiently small, then \[x\leq f(x)<xy+f(x)\leq f(xy+f(x))=x+f(f(x)f(y))\]Also we have \(\lim_{y\rightarrow0}f(y)=0\) so \(\lim_{y\rightarrow0}f(f(x)f(y))=0\) and so \(f(x)=x\) (since the first inequality is actually an equality)
This post has been edited 12 times. Last edited by rama1728, Oct 11, 2021, 8:48 AM
Reason: .
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hef4875
132 posts
#24
Y by
Zelderis wrote:
Hint

I find your comment kinda interesting, I understand what u are saying, but i wonder how to present this in the paper. I mean i have done several fe, but none of them need to be proved by the definition. The only tool i have to prove the continuous is using the surjectivity and the monotonous of the function. Would you mind describing fully, like what you will write on the paper when taking the test? Appreciate a lot :-D
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IAmTheHazard
5005 posts
#25
Y by
hard. solved with CANNED HINTS

The answer is $f(x)=x$, which clearly works
Let $P(x,y)$ denote the assertion. We present a series of claims to solve this problem.

Claim 1: $f(x)\geq x$.
Proof: Suppose $f(x)<x$. Then $P(x, \tfrac{x-f(x)}{x})$ yields $f(x)>x$: contradiction.

Claim 2: $f(x)<1$ for all $x<1$.
Proof: In general for $x<1$, consider $y=\tfrac{f(x)}{1-x}$, so $xy+f(x)=y$. Then $P(x,y)$ gives
$$f(y)=f(f(x)f(y))+x\geq f(x)f(y)+x \implies f(y)=\frac{x}{1-f(x)}.$$Thus $f(x)<1$, since $f(y)>0$.

Claim 3: $\lim_{x \to 0} f(x)=0$.
Proof: Suppose that there exists some absolute constant $C>0$ such that there exist arbitrarily small $a$ with $f(a)\geq C$. Let $\tfrac{1}{C+1}<x<1$ and pick a small $a$ as described such that $xa+f(x)<1$ as well. Then from $P(x,a)$ we have the inequality chain
$$1>f(xa+f(x))=f(f(x)f(a))+x\geq f(x)C+x\geq x(C+1)>1,$$which is absurd. Thus such a $C$ does not exist, so we have $\lim_{x\to 0} f(x)=0$ as desired.

Claim 4: $f(x)\leq x$.
Proof: Consider $P(x,y)$ and send $y \to 0$. Then $f(x)f(y) \to 0$ as well, so $f(f(x)f(y)) \to 0$. This means that
$$\lim_{y \to 0} f(xy+f(x))=\lim_{y \to 0} f(y+f(x))=x.$$On the other hand, we have $f(y+f(x))\geq y+f(x)\geq f(x)$, so if $f(x)>x$ then the above equation cannot be true.

Combining claims 1 and 4 finally yields $f(x)=x$ for all $x$, as desired. $\blacksquare$
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gghx
1072 posts
#26
Y by
Claim 1: $f(x)\ge x$.
Proof. Suppose $f(x)<x$, then $P(x,\tfrac{x-f(x)}{x}): f(x)=f(f(x)f(\tfrac{x-f(x)}{x}))+x$, contradiction.

Claim 2: If $x<1$ then $f(x)<1$.
Proof. From above we get $f(xy+f(x))\ge f(x)f(y)+x$. If $x<1$ we can take $y=\frac{f(x)}{1-x}$ to force $xy+f(x)=y$, which forces $f(x)<1$.

Claim 3: $f$ is unbounded below.
Proof. Taking $x=1-\epsilon$ and $y$ such that $xy+f(x)<1$ (possible because $f(x)<1$), we get $f(f(x)f(y))<\epsilon.$

Claim 4: There exists $f(c)=1$.
Taking $x=1, f(y)\to 0^+$, we have $1<f(xy+f(x))<2$. Let $xy+f(x)=t$, so we have $1<f(t)<2$.
Taking $x=f(t)-1<1$, $f(xy+f(x))+1=f(f(x)f(y))+f(t)$. It suffices to find $y$ such that $xy+f(x)=t$. Since $x<1$ and $t>1$, this is possible.

Claim 5: $f(n)=n$ for all $n\in \mathbb{N}$.
Proof. Taking $f(c)=1$, we have $c\le f(c)\le 1$. By Claim 2, $c$ cannot be less than 1, so $c=1$. Now $P(1,y): f(y+1)=f(f(y))+1$. By induction, $f(n)=n$.

Claim 6: $f(x)\le x$.
Proof. Suppose $f(x)=x+c$ for $c>0$. Then taking $y=\frac{N-x-c}{x}$ where $N\in \mathbb{N}$, we have $N=xy+x+c=f(xy+x+c)\ge f(x)f(y)+x\ge (x+c)y+x$. Taking $y$ sufficiently large leads to a contradiction.

Combining claims 1 and 6, $f(x)\equiv x$, which works.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by gghx, Feb 26, 2023, 7:55 AM
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Orestis_Lignos
558 posts
#27
Y by
The solution splits into many steps.

Step 1: Note that $f(x) \geq x$ for all $x>0$. Indeed, if $f(x)<x$ for a $x$, then $y \rightarrow (x-f(x))/x$ yields $f(x)>x$, absurd.
Step 2: $f(x)<1$ for all $x<1$. Indeed, if $x<1$ then $y \rightarrow f(x)/(1-x)$ yields (using Step 1) $f(\frac{f(x)}{1-x}) \geq f(x)f(\dfrac{f(x)}{1-x})+x,$ that is $f(x)<1$ as desired.
Step 3: There exists a constant $k \geq 1$ such that $f(x) \leq kx$ for all $x \leq 1$. For this step, take a $x<1$ and $y \rightarrow (f(2)-f(x))/x$. By Steps 1 and 2, $y$ is positive, and so

$f(f(2)) \geq f(x) \cdot \dfrac{f(2)-f(x)}{x}+x,$

which rewrites as

$\dfrac{f(x)}{x} \leq \dfrac{f(f(2))-x}{f(2)-f(x)}$

However, the RHS of the above inequality is evidently $<\dfrac{f(f(2)}{f(2)-1},$ and so $f(x)/x$ is bounded for all $x \leq 1$, as wanted.
Step 4: $f(x)=x$ for all $x \leq 1$. Indeed, fix $x \leq 1$ and take $y$ to be pretty small. Then,

$xy+f(x) \leq f(xy+f(x))=f(f(x)f(y))+x \leq f(x) \cdot ky \cdot k+x,$

and so

$\dfrac{f(x)}{x} \leq \dfrac{1-y}{1-k^2y},$

and this fraction tends to $1$ when $y$ gets closer to $0$, and we are done.
Step 5: $f$ is identity everywhere. Since $f(1)=1$, put $x=1$ to infer that $f(x+1)=f(x)+1$, and so $f(x)=f(\{ x \})+\lfloor x \rfloor=\{x \}+\lfloor x \rfloor =x,$ as wanted.

It's easy to check the identity function works, and so it is the only solution.
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DS68
29 posts
#28
Y by
Answer is $f \equiv x$, easy to check. Let $P(x, y)$ be the assertion above.
We will prove $f(x) \geq x$ for all $x$. Assuming $f(x) < x$, take $P\left(x, \frac{x-f(x)}{x}\right)$, we obviously get $f(x) > x$.
Now assuming there exists some constant $c$ such that $f(c) = c + \epsilon$, note taking $P(c, y)$ we have
\[f(cy+c+\epsilon) = f((c+\epsilon)f(y)) + c\]Now taking for arbitrarily large $y$ greater than some bound, note we have $(c+\epsilon)f(y) \geq (c+\epsilon)y > cy+c+\epsilon$. Thus we can define a sequence $\{a_i\}$, such that
\[a_i = \begin{cases}
cy+c+\epsilon, \quad i = 1\\
(c+\epsilon)f\left(\frac{a_{i-1} - c - \epsilon}{c}\right), \quad i > 1 
\end{cases}
\]This gives $f(a_{i-1}) = f(a_i) + c$. Note $\{a_i\}$ is strictly increasing and $f(a_i)$ is strictly decreasing by a constant, thus a contradiction to $f: \mathbb R^+ \rightarrow \mathbb R^+$, i.e $f \equiv x$.
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by DS68, Oct 28, 2023, 1:20 AM
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tadpoleloop
311 posts
#29
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DS68 wrote:
Answer is $f \equiv x$, easy to check. Let $P(x, y)$ be the assertion above.
We will prove $f(x) \geq x$ for all $x$. Assuming $f(x) < x$, take $P\left(x, \frac{x-f(x)}{x}\right)$, we obviously get $f(x) > x$ since $\text{imf} = \mathbb R^+$.
Now assuming there exists some constant $c$ such that $f(c) = c + \epsilon$, note taking $P(c, y)$ we have
\[f(cy+c+\epsilon) = f((c+\epsilon)f(y)) + c\]Now taking for arbitrarily large $y$ greater than some bound, note we have $(c+\epsilon)f(y) \geq (c+\epsilon)y > cy+c+\epsilon$. Thus we can define a sequence $\{a_i\}$, such that
\[a_i = \begin{cases}
cy+c+\epsilon, \quad i = 1\\
(c+\epsilon)f\left(\frac{a_{i-1} - c - \epsilon}{c}\right), \quad i > 1 
\end{cases}
\]This gives $f(a_{i-1}) = f(a_i) + c$. Note $\{a_i\}$ is strictly increasing and $f(a_i)$ is strictly decreasing by a constant, thus a contradiction to $\text{imf} = \mathbb R^+$, i.e $f \equiv x$.

Is imf the image of f?

you haven't proved that f is onto
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AN1729
18 posts
#30
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Solved with kotmhn, NTguy, rjp08 , quantam13 and Om245

Claim 1: $f(x) \geq x$ $ \forall x \in \mathbb{R}^{+}$
if $x>f(x)$ then, $P(x,x-f(x)) \implies f(x)>x$
Contradiction!

Claim 2: $x<1 \implies f(x)<1$
$P(x,\frac{f(x)}{1-x}) \implies f(y) = f(f(x)f(y)) +x > f(f(x)f(y)) > f(x)f(y) \implies 1>f(x)$

Claim 3: $\lim_{x \to 1^{-}}f(x) = 1$
Trivial by Claim 1 and 2 !

Claim 4: $\lim_{x \to 0^{+}}f(x) = 0$
Let $x=1-\epsilon$, $y<1-f(1-\epsilon)$
$1 \geq xy+f(x) \implies 1 \geq f(xy+f(x)) = f(f(x)f(y)) +x$
$\implies \epsilon \geq f(f(x)f(y)) \geq f(x)f(y)$
$\implies \frac{\epsilon}{1-\epsilon} \geq f(y)$
$0<f(y)<\frac{\epsilon}{1-\epsilon}$
$\lim_{\epsilon \to 0}1-f(1-\epsilon) = 0$ (By Claim 1,2,3)
y is surjective as we choose y < $1-f(1-\epsilon)$
So, $\lim_{y \to 0} f(y)=0$

Finish:
$f(f(y)f(x))+x = f(xy+f(x)) \geq f(x)+xy \geq x$
$\lim_{y \to 0} f(f(x)f(y))+x=x$
$\implies \lim_{y \to 0} f(x)+xy =x \implies \lim_{y \to 0} f(x) = x$
But $f(x)$ is independent of $y $
$\implies f(x)=x$

Easy to check!
This post has been edited 3 times. Last edited by AN1729, Oct 14, 2024, 4:20 AM
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OronSH
1748 posts
#31
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We claim $f$ is the identity, which works.

First note that if $f(x)<x$ then choose $y$ such that $xy+f(x)=x$, which implies $f(x)>x$, contradiction. Thus $f(x)\ge x$ for all $x$.

In particular we get $f(xy+f(x))\ge f(x)f(y)+x$. Suppose $x<1$. Then choose $y$ such that $xy+f(x)=y$ to get $f(x)<1$.

Next suppose $x<n$ implies $f(x)<n$ for some $n$. If $n\le k<n+1$ then choose $x<1$ large enough such that $xy+f(x)=k$ for some $y<n$, which is possible since $f(x)>x$. Now $f(k)=f(f(x)f(y))+x<n+1$, since $f(x)f(y)<n$. Thus $x<n+1$ implies $f(x)<n+1$. By induction, this holds for all $n$.

Now if $xy+f(x)<n$ then $f(x)f(y)+x\le f(xy+f(x))<n$. Setting $x<m,y=\frac{n-m}x$ gives $xy+f(x)>n-m$, so \[(f(x)f(y)+x)-(xy+f(x))=f(x)(f(y)-y)+(f(x)-x)(y-1)<m.\]The first term is positive and $y-1>n-m-1$ so $f(x)-x<\frac m{n-m-1}$. Taking $n$ arbitrarily large implies $f(x)=x$, as desired.
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Ilikeminecraft
685 posts
#32
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bruh this is impossible
Claim: $f(x)\geq x$
Proof: If $f(x)  <x,$ take $y = \frac{x - f(x)}x,$ and we get $f(x) = f(\dots) + x > x,$ contradiction.
Claim: If $x < 1,$ then $f(x) < 1.$
Proof: Take $y = \frac{f(x)}{1 - x}$ and we get $f(y) = f(f(x)f(y)) + x > f(f(x)f(y)) > f(x)f(y)$ by our first claim. Thus, since $f > 0,$ we are done.
Claim: $\lim_{t\to0}f(t)$ exists and is 0.
Proof: Let $0 < \varepsilon < \frac12,$ and choose $x = 1 - \varepsilon.$ Pick $\delta < 1 - f(x),$ which has to exist since $f < 1$ for $x < 1.$ Then, $(x, \delta)$ tells us $1 \geq f(x\delta + f(x)) = x + f(f(x)f(\delta)) > 1 - \varepsilon + f(x)f(\delta),$ or $\varepsilon > f(x)f(\delta) > f(\delta),$ so our claim is done.

Pick $y = \varepsilon$ sufficiently small and we get $x \leq f(x) < xy + f(x) \leq f(xy + f(x)) = x + f(f(x)f(y)),$ and taking the limiting behavior, we get $f(x)$ is squished to become $x.$
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N3bula
302 posts
#33
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Let $P(x, y)$ denote the assertion.
\[P(x, y)\]\[f(xy+f(x))=f(f(x)f(y))+x\]\[\therefore f(k+f(x))> x\]For all $k\in \mathbb{R}_{>0}$, suppose that $f(x)< x$. Let $k=x-f(x)$, we get $f(k+f(x))>x$, as $k=x-f(x)$ this gives $f(x)>x$, thus for all $x$ we have $f(x)\geq x$.
Let $c$ be a value $<1$ and let $b=\frac{f(c)}{1-c}$.
\[P(c, b)\]\[f(\frac{cf(c)}{1-c}+f(c))\geq f(c)f(b)+c\]\[f(\frac{f(c)}{1-c})\geq f(b)c+c\]\[f(b)\geq f(b)f(c)+c\]\[-c\geq f(b)(c-1)\]\[\frac{c}{1-c}\geq f(b)\geq b\]However $b=\frac{f(c)}{1-c}$, thus as $f(c)\geq c$ we get:
\[\frac{c}{1-c}=\frac{f(c)}{1-c}\]Thus:
\[f(c)=c\]for all $c<1$.
Let $x'$ be a value such that $x'(x+1)<1$. Thus $x'<1$.
\[P(x, x')-P(x', x)\]\[f(xx'+f(x))-x'(x+1)=x-x'\]\[f(xx'+f(x))=xx'+f(x)\]Thus $f(x)=x$ for all $x$.
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bin_sherlo
738 posts
#35 • 2 Y
Y by MS_asdfgzxcvb, bo18
\[f(xy+f(x))=f(f(x)f(y))+x\]The only function holding the equation is $f(x)=x$. Let $P(x,y)$ be the assertion.
Claim: $f(x)\geq x$.
Proof: Suppose that $a>f(a)$, by $P(a,\frac{a-f(a)}{a})$, we have $f(a)>a$ which is a contradiction hence $f(x)\geq x$.
Claim: $f(x)<1\iff x<1$.
Proof: Since $f(x)\geq x$, we see that $f(x)<1$ implies $1>x$.
\[f(xy+f(x))\geq x+f(x)f(y)\]Let $x<1$, pick $y=\frac{f(x)}{1-x}$ to get $f(\frac{f(x)}{1-x})\geq x+f(x)f(\frac{f(x)}{1-x})>f(x)f(\frac{f(x)}{1-x})$ thus, $f(x)<1$.
Claim: There exists a constant $C$ such that $f(a)=a$ for all $0<a\leq C$.
Proof: If $\frac{1-f(x)}{x}>\frac{1-x}{f(x)}$, then pick $y$ between them in order to observe \[1>f(xy+f(x))\geq x+f(x)f(y)\geq x+yf(x)>x+1-x=1\]which is impossible. Hence $\frac{1-x}{f(x)}\geq \frac{1-f(x)}{x}$ for $x<1$. This implies $(f(x)-x)(f(x)+x-1)\geq 0$. We either have $f(x)=x$ or $f(x)+x\geq 1$ for all $0<x<1$. Suppose that $f(\epsilon)\neq \epsilon$ so $f(\epsilon)\geq 1-\epsilon$. We see that $P(2/3,\epsilon)$ for $\epsilon<\frac{1-f(2/3)}{2/3}<\frac{1}{2}$ gives
\[1>f(\frac{2}{3}.\epsilon+f(\frac{2}{3}))\geq \frac{2}{3}+f(\epsilon)f(\frac{2}{3})\geq \frac{2}{3}+\frac{2}{3}(1-\epsilon)=\frac{4}{3}-\frac{2\epsilon}{3}\implies \epsilon\geq \frac{1}{2}\]Which is not true. Hence $C=\frac{1-f(2/3)}{2/3}$ satisfies the conditions.
Claim: $f$ is injective.
Proof: If $f(a)=c=f(b)$, then $P(a,b)$ and $P(b,a)$ give $a+f(c^2)=f(ab+c)=b+f(c^2)$ which contradicts with our assumption.

If $f(a)=a$ for all $a\in [0,T)$ where $T<1$, then for $a,b<T$, $P(a,b)$ implies \[f(a(b+1))=a+f(ab)=a(b+1)\]$a(b+1)$ attains all values in $[0,T^2+T)$. We can extend the bound from $T$ to $T(T+1)$. In the sequence $T\rightarrow T^2+T\rightarrow (T^2+T)^2+(T^2+T)\rightarrow \dots$ we see that each term is at least $T^2$ more than the previous term hence $i.$ term will be at least $T+(i-1)T^2$ until it reaches to $>1$. Hence this will be larger than $1$.

If $f(a)=a$ for all $a\leq 1$, then $P(a/y,y)$ for sufficiently small $a$ and $y>1$, we see that $a+a/y=f(a+a/y)=a/y+f(a/y.f(y))$ or $f(a.\frac{f(y)}{y})=a=f(a)$. Since $f$ is injective, $f(y)=y$ for $y>1$, too.

Thus, $f(x)=x$ for all positive reals as desired.$\blacksquare$
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