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Exercise 1Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Continuity › Functional equationsL1Added 2 Nov 2026

A functional equation with f(2x)

#functional equations#continuity at a point#sequences

Statement

  1. Let f:R→Rf:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R} be continuous at 00 with f(2x)=f(x)f(2x)=f(x) for all xx. Prove that ff is constant.
  2. Find all functions ff, continuous at 00, such that f(2x)−f(x)=xf(2x)-f(x)=x for all real xx.
Hint

Repeat the relation to get f(x)=f ⁣(x2n)f(x)=f\!\left(\frac x{2^n}\right) and let n→∞n\to\infty. For part 2, look for a correction g(x)=f(x)−λxg(x)=f(x)-\lambda x that satisfies the equation of part 1.

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Solution

1. From f(2y)=f(y)f(2y)=f(y) with y=x2y=\frac x2 we get f(x)=f ⁣(x2)f(x)=f\!\left(\frac x2\right), and by induction f(x)=f ⁣(x2n)f(x)=f\!\left(\frac x{2^n}\right) for every nn. As n→∞n\to\infty, x2n→0\frac x{2^n}\to0 and by continuity at 00, f ⁣(x2n)→f(0)f\!\left(\frac x{2^n}\right)\to f(0). Since the left side does not depend on nn, f(x)=f(0)f(x)=f(0) for all xx.

2. Put g(x)=f(x)−xg(x)=f(x)-x. Then
g(2x)−g(x)=(f(2x)−2x)−(f(x)−x)=(f(2x)−f(x))−x=0.g(2x)-g(x)=\bigl(f(2x)-2x\bigr)-\bigl(f(x)-x\bigr)=\bigl(f(2x)-f(x)\bigr)-x=0.
So gg satisfies g(2x)=g(x)g(2x)=g(x) and is continuous at 00. By part 1, gg is a constant cc. Hence f(x)=x+cf(x)=x+c.