Olympiad problems

2007 Flanders Math Olympiad, 4

If $f,g: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ are functions that satisfy $f(x+g(y)) = 2x+y $ $\forall x,y \in \mathbb{R}$, then determine $g(x+f(y))$.

1991 IMO Shortlist, 23

Tags: function , algebra , polynomial , functional equation

Let $ f$ and $ g$ be two integer-valued functions defined on the set of all integers such that [i](a)[/i] $ f(m \plus{} f(f(n))) \equal{} \minus{}f(f(m\plus{} 1) \minus{} n$ for all integers $ m$ and $ n;$ [i](b)[/i] $ g$ is a polynomial function with integer coefficients and g(n) = $ g(f(n))$ $ \forall n \in \mathbb{Z}.$

2022 Balkan MO Shortlist, A1

Tags: algebra , functional equation

Find all functions $f : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ such that \[f(x(x + f(y))) = (x + y)f(x),\] for all $x, y \in\mathbb{R}$.

2018 Korea Winter Program Practice Test, 1

Tags: functional equation , function , floor function , algebra

Find all functions $f : \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ satisfying the following conditions : 1) $f(x+y)-f(x)-f(y) \in \{0,1\} $ for all $x,y \in \mathbb{R}$ 2) $\lfloor f(x) \rfloor = \lfloor x \rfloor $ for all real $x$.

2025 Kyiv City MO Round 1, Problem 4

Tags: number theory , functional equation

Find all functions $ f : \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N} $ that satisfy the following condition: for any positive integers $ m $ and $ n $ such that $ m > n $ and $ m $ is not divisible by $ n $, if we denote by $ r $ the remainder of the division of $ m $ by $ n $, then the remainder of the division of $ f(m) $ by $ n $ is $ f(r) $. [i]Proposed by Mykyta Kharin[/i]

1998 Iran MO (3rd Round), 3

Tags: algebra , functional equation

Find all functions $f : \mathbb R \to \mathbb R$ such that for all $x, y,$ \[f(f(x) + y) = f(x^2 - y) + 4f(x)y.\]

2003 Germany Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: algebra , functional equation

Find all functions $f$ from the reals to the reals such that \[f\left(f(x)+y\right)=2x+f\left(f(y)-x\right)\] for all real $x,y$.

2017 Peru IMO TST, 1

Tags: algebra , functional equation , selection

Find all functions $f: \mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that \[ f(xy-1) + f(x)f(y) = 2xy-1 \] for all x and y

2024 IFYM, Sozopol, 5

Tags: functional equation , algebra

Find all functions $f:\mathbb{R}^{+} \to \mathbb{R}^{+}$ such that \[ f(x) > x \ \ \text{and} \ \ f(x-y+xy+f(y)) = f(x+y) + xf(y) \] for arbitrary positive real numbers $x$ and $y$.

2019 Romanian Masters In Mathematics, 5

Tags: fe , algebra , functional equation

Determine all functions $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ satisfying \[f(x + yf(x)) + f(xy) = f(x) + f(2019y),\] for all real numbers $x$ and $y$.

2024 239 Open Mathematical Olympiad, 1

Tags: algebra , functional equation

Let $f:\mathbb{R}_{\geq 0} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}_{\geq 0}$ be a continuous function such that $f(0)=0$ and $$f(x)+f(f(x))+f(f(f(x)))=3x$$ for all $x>0$. Show that $f(x)=x$ for all $x>0$.

2021 Pan-African, 5

Tags: algebra , functional equation , function

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

KoMaL A Problems 2022/2023, A. 835

Tags: algebra , functional equation , polynomial

Let $f^{(n)}(x)$ denote the $n^{\text{th}}$ iterate of function $f$, i.e $f^{(1)}(x)=f(x)$, $f^{(n+1)}(x)=f(f^{(n)}(x))$. Let $p(n)$ be a given polynomial with integer coefficients, which maps the positive integers into the positive integers. Is it possible that the functional equation $f^{(n)}(n)=p(n)$ has exactly one solution $f$ that maps the positive integers into the positive integers? [i]Submitted by Dávid Matolcsi and Kristóf Szabó, Budapest[/i]

2018 ELMO Shortlist, 1

Tags: function , algebra , functional equation

Let $f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ be a bijective function. Does there always exist an infinite number of functions $g:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ such that $f(g(x))=g(f(x))$ for all $x\in\mathbb{R}$? [i]Proposed by Daniel Liu[/i]

2011 Postal Coaching, 3

Tags: function , functional equation , algebra

Suppose $f : \mathbb{R} \longrightarrow \mathbb{R}$ be a function such that \[2f (f (x)) = (x^2 - x)f (x) + 4 - 2x\] for all real $x$. Find $f (2)$ and all possible values of $f (1)$. For each value of $f (1)$, construct a function achieving it and satisfying the given equation.

1994 IMO Shortlist, 5

Tags: function , induction , algebra , functional equation

Let $ f(x) \equal{} \frac{x^2\plus{}1}{2x}$ for $ x \neq 0.$ Define $ f^{(0)}(x) \equal{} x$ and $ f^{(n)}(x) \equal{} f(f^{(n\minus{}1)}(x))$ for all positive integers $ n$ and $ x \neq 0.$ Prove that for all non-negative integers $ n$ and $ x \neq \{\minus{}1,0,1\}$ \[ \frac{f^{(n)}(x)}{f^{(n\plus{}1)}(x)} \equal{} 1 \plus{} \frac{1}{f \left( \left( \frac{x\plus{}1}{x\minus{}1} \right)^{2n} \right)}.\]

1968 IMO Shortlist, 26

Tags: function , algebra , periodic function , functional equation

Let $f$ be a real-valued function defined for all real numbers, such that for some $a>0$ we have \[ f(x+a)={1\over2}+\sqrt{f(x)-f(x)^2} \] for all $x$. Prove that $f$ is periodic, and give an example of such a non-constant $f$ for $a=1$.

1996 Austrian-Polish Competition, 8

Tags: algebra , polynomial , functional equation , functional

Show that there is no polynomial $P(x)$ of degree $998$ with real coefficients which satisfies $P(x^2 + 1) = P(x)^2 - 1$ for all $x$.

2024 Brazil Team Selection Test, 4

Tags: algebra , functional equation , function

Find all pairs of positive integers $ (a, b) $ such that $ f(x) = x $ is the only function $ f : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} $ that satisfies \[ f^a(x)f^b(y) + f^b(x)f^a(y) = 2xy \quad \text{for all } x, y \in \mathbb{R}. \] Here, $ f^n(x) $ represents the function obtained by applying $ f $ $ n $ times to $ x $. That is, $ f^1(x) = f(x) $ and $ f^{n+1}(x) = f(f^n(x))$ for all $n \geq 1$.

2025 Turkey Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: functional equation , algebra

Find all $f: \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that, for all $x,y \in \mathbb{R}-\{0\}$, $$ f(x) \neq 0 \text{ and } \frac{f(x)}{f(y)} + \frac{f(y)}{f(x)} - f \left( \frac{x}{y}-\frac{y}{x} \right) =2 $$

2016 India IMO Training Camp, 2

Tags: function , functional equation , algebra

Find all functions $f:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R$ such that $$f\left( x^2+xf(y)\right)=xf(x+y)$$ for all reals $x,y$.

PEN K Problems, 24

Tags: function , induction , functional equation

A function $f$ is defined on the positive integers by \[\left\{\begin{array}{rcl}f(1) &=& 1, \\ f(3) &=& 3, \\ f(2n) &=& f(n), \\ f(4n+1) &=& 2f(2n+1)-f(n), \\ f(4n+3) &=& 3f(2n+1)-2f(n), \end{array}\right.\] for all positive integers $n$. Determine the number of positive integers $n$, less than or equal to 1988, for which $f(n) = n$.

2021 Regional Olympiad of Mexico Center Zone, 6

Tags: algebra , number theory , functional equation , sequence

The sequence $a_1,a_2,\dots$ of positive integers obeys the following two conditions: [list] [*] For all positive integers $m,n$, it happens that $a_m\cdot a_n=a_{mn}$ [*] There exist infinite positive integers $n$ such that $(a_1,a_2,\dots,a_n)$ is a permutation of $(1,2,\dots,n)$ [/list] Prove that $a_n=n$ for all positive integers $n$. [i]Proposed by José Alejandro Reyes González[/i]

1988 Austrian-Polish Competition, 4

Tags: functional , functional equation , increasing , algebra

Determine all strictly increasing functions $f: R \to R$ satisfying $f (f(x) + y) = f(x + y) + f (0)$ for all $x,y \in R$.

2017 Taiwan TST Round 1, 3

Tags: functional equation , algebra

Find all injective functions $ f:\mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N} $ such that $$ f^{f\left(a\right)}\left(b\right)f^{f\left(b\right)}\left(a\right)=\left(f\left(a+b\right)\right)^2 $$ holds for all $ a,b \in \mathbb{N} $. Note that $ f^{k}\left(n\right) $ means $ \underbrace{f(f(\ldots f}_{k}(n) \ldots )) $