Find all functions such that for each , there is exactly one satisfying
for all .
for all .
for all .
for all .
Hint 1: Check : then by AM-GM, with equality iff .
Hint 2: For the unique , argue that the inequality must be tight (equality), otherwise nearby values also satisfy it.
Hint 3: Show for all , and use the equality condition to force , hence .
Step 1 (Verify ): If , then by AM-GM, with equality iff . So for each , the unique with is . This works.
Step 2 (Uniqueness implies equality): For general , let . The condition says: for each , exactly one satisfies . Call this .
Step 3: At , we must have (equality, since if strict inequality held, nearby values would also satisfy the condition, violating uniqueness). Also is an involution: .
Step 4: Setting : , so , i.e., . If for all , then , giving .
Step 5: Show for all . If for some , the equality combined with and leads to a contradiction via AM-GM applied to the cross terms.
Ready to track your progress and master these topics?
Create a free account