Olympiad problems

1989 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 509

$N$ is the set of positive integers. Does there exist a function $f: N \to N$ such that $f(n+1) = f( f(n) ) + f( f(n+2) )$ for all $n$?

2017-IMOC, N3

Tags: number theory , algebra , fe , functional equation

Find all functions $f:\mathbb N\to\mathbb N_0$ such that for all $m,n\in\mathbb N$, \begin{align*} f(mn)&=f(m)f(n)\\ f(m+n)&=\min(f(m),f(n))\qquad\text{if }f(m)\ne f(n)\end{align*}

Russian TST 2017, P1

Tags: number theory , polynomial , functional equation , sum of digits

For any positive integer $k$, denote the sum of digits of $k$ in its decimal representation by $S(k)$. Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with integer coefficients such that for any positive integer $n \geq 2016$, the integer $P(n)$ is positive and $$S(P(n)) = P(S(n)).$$ [i]Proposed by Warut Suksompong, Thailand[/i]

2005 Portugal MO, 6

Tags: algebra , functional , functional equation , number theory

Prove that there is a unique function $f: N\to N$, that verifies $$f(a + b)f(a - b) = f(a^2)$$, for any $a, b\in N$ such that $a > b$.

2009 Belarus Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: functional equation , functional , algebra

Find all functions $f: R \to R$ and $g:R \to R$ such that $f(x-f(y))=xf(y)-yf(x)+g(x)$ for all real numbers $x,y$. I.Voronovich

2019 Brazil National Olympiad, 3

Tags: functional equation , algebra

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 $y$.

2016 Federal Competition For Advanced Students, P2, 1

Tags: algebra , functional equation , function

Let $\alpha\in\mathbb{Q}^+$. Determine all functions $f:\mathbb{Q}^+\to\mathbb{Q}^+$ that for all $x,y\in\mathbb{Q}^+$ satisfy the equation \[ f\left(\frac{x}{y}+y\right) ~=~ \frac{f(x)}{f(y)}+f(y)+\alpha x.\] Here $\mathbb{Q}^+$ denote the set of positive rational numbers. (Proposed by Walther Janous)

2020 Thailand Mathematical Olympiad, 7

Tags: functional equation , inequalities

Determine all functions $f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{Z}$ satisfying the inequality $(f(x))^2+(f(y))^2 \leq 2f(xy)$ for all reals $x,y$.

2021 Austrian MO National Competition, 4

Tags: algebra , functional equation , functional

Let $a$ be a real number. Determine all functions $f: R \to R$ with $f (f (x) + y) = f (x^2 - y) + af (x) y$ for all $x, y \in R$. (Walther Janous)

2024 Pan-African, 5

Tags: algebra , functional equation

Let $ \mathbb{R} $ denote the set of real numbers. Find all functions $ f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} $ such that \[ f(x^2) - y f(y) = f(x+y)(f(x) - y) \] for all real numbers $ x $ and $ y $.

MathLinks Contest 3rd, 2

Tags: functional , functional equation , algebra , number theory

Find all functions $f : \{1, 2, ... , n,...\} \to Z$ with the following properties (i) if $a, b$ are positive integers and $a | b$, then $f(a) \ge f(b)$; (ii) if $a, b$ are positive integers then $f(ab) + f(a^2 + b^2) = f(a) + f(b)$.

1984 Czech And Slovak Olympiad IIIA, 6

Tags: algebra , functional equation , function

Let f be a function from the set Z of all integers into itself, that satisfies the condition for all $m \in Z$, $$f(f(m)) =-m. \ \ (1)$$ Then: (a) $f$ is a mutually unique mapping, i.e. a simple mapping of the set $Z$ onto the set $Z$ , (b) for all $m \in Z$ holds that $f(-m) = -f(m)$ , (c) $f(m) = 0$ if and only if $m = 0$ . Prove these statements and construct an example of a mapping f that satisfies condition (1).

2012 Putnam, 3

Tags: function , limit , algebra , functional equation , topology

Let $f:[-1,1]\to\mathbb{R}$ be a continuous function such that (i) $f(x)=\frac{2-x^2}{2}f\left(\frac{x^2}{2-x^2}\right)$ for every $x$ in $[-1,1],$ (ii) $ f(0)=1,$ and (iii) $\lim_{x\to 1^-}\frac{f(x)}{\sqrt{1-x}}$ exists and is finite. Prove that $f$ is unique, and express $f(x)$ in closed form.

2020 Nordic, 4

Tags: functional equation , functional , algebra

Find all functions $f : R- \{-1\} \to R$ such that $$f(x)f \left( f \left(\frac{1 - y}{1 + y} \right)\right) = f\left(\frac{x + y}{xy + 1}\right) $$ for all $x, y \in R$ that satisfy $(x + 1)(y + 1)(xy + 1) \ne 0$.

2016 Putnam, B5

Tags: putnam analysis , functional equation

Find all functions $f$ from the interval $(1,\infty)$ to $(1,\infty)$ with the following property: if $x,y\in(1,\infty)$ and $x^2\le y\le x^3,$ then $(f(x))^2\le f(y) \le (f(x))^3.$

2017 239 Open Mathematical Olympiad, 3

Tags: functional equation , functional equation in r , algebra , tuzo cheating

Find all functions $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ such that for all real number $x,y$, $$(y+1)f(yf(x))=yf(x(y+1)).$$

1995 Israel Mathematical Olympiad, 8

Tags: functional equation , functional , function , algebra

A real number $\alpha$ is given. Find all functions $f : R^+ \to R^+$ satisfying $\alpha x^2f\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) +f(x) =\frac{x}{x+1}$ for all $x > 0$.

2012 Kyrgyzstan National Olympiad, 4

Tags: function , algebra , functional equation

Find all functions $ f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R} $ such that $ f(f(x)^2+f(y)) = xf(x)+y $,$ \forall x,y\in R $.

2018 IMO Shortlist, A1

Tags: algebra , functional equation

Let $\mathbb{Q}_{>0}$ denote the set of all positive rational numbers. Determine all functions $f:\mathbb{Q}_{>0}\to \mathbb{Q}_{>0}$ satisfying $$f(x^2f(y)^2)=f(x)^2f(y)$$ for all $x,y\in\mathbb{Q}_{>0}$

2023 District Olympiad, P4

Tags: functional equation , algebra , functional equation in r

Determine all functions $f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ such that any real numbers $x{}$ and $y{}$ satisfy \[f(xf(x)+f(y))=f(f(x^2))+y.\]

2016 Azerbaijan IMO TST First Round, 4

Tags: algebra , functional equation , function

Find the solution of the functional equation $P(x)+P(1-x)=1$ with power $2015$ P.S: $P(y)=y^{2015}$ is also a function with power $2015$

2013 Taiwan TST Round 1, 3

Tags: functional equation , algebra

Find all $g:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow\mathbb{R}$ such that for all $x,y\in R$, \[(4x+g(x)^2)g(y)=4g(\frac{y}{2}g(x))+4xyg(x)\]

2017 Benelux, 1

Tags: functional equation , algebra

Find all functions $f : \Bbb{Q}_{>0}\to \Bbb{Z}_{>0}$ such that $$f(xy)\cdot \gcd\left( f(x)f(y), f(\frac{1}{x})f(\frac{1}{y})\right) = xyf(\frac{1}{x})f(\frac{1}{y}),$$ for all $x, y \in \Bbb{Q}_{>0,}$ where $\gcd(a, b)$ denotes the greatest common divisor of $a$ and $b.$

2024 ELMO Problems, 3

Tags: functional equation , algebra

For some positive integer $n,$ Elmo writes down the equation \[x_1+x_2+\dots+x_n=x_1+x_2+\dots+x_n.\] Elmo inserts at least one $f$ to the left side of the equation and adds parentheses to create a valid functional equation. For example, if $n=3,$ Elmo could have created the equation \[f(x_1+f(f(x_2)+x_3))=x_1+x_2+x_3.\] Cookie Monster comes up with a function $f: \mathbb{Q}\to\mathbb{Q}$ which is a solution to Elmo's functional equation. (In other words, Elmo's equation is satisfied for all choices of $x_1,\dots,x_n\in\mathbb{Q})$. Is it possible that there is no integer $k$ (possibly depending on $f$) such that $f^k(x)=x$ for all $x$? [i]Srinivas Arun[/i]

2020-IMOC, A1

Tags: inequalities , am-gm , algebra , functional equation

$\definecolor{A}{RGB}{190,0,60}\color{A}\fbox{A1.}$ Find all $f:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that $$\definecolor{A}{RGB}{80,0,200}\color{A} x^4+y^4+z^4\ge f(xy)+f(yz)+f(zx)\ge xyz(x+y+z)$$holds for all $a,b,c\in\mathbb{R}$. [i]Proposed by [/i][b][color=#FFFF00]usjl[/color][/b]. [color=#B6D7A8]#1733[/color]