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Exercise 1314Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Continuity › Functional equationsM1Added 5 Nov 2026

f(x)f(y) − f(xy) = x + y

#functional equation#substitution#polynomial identity

Statement

Find all f:R→Rf:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R} such that f(x)f(y)−f(xy)=x+yf(x)f(y)-f(xy)=x+y for all real x,yx,y.

Hint

Put y=0y=0 and write c=f(0)c=f(0). Show c≠0c\ne0, then use x=0x=0 to find the form of ff.

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Solution

Step 1. Put y=0y=0: c f(x)−c=xc\,f(x)-c=x, i.e. c(f(x)−1)=xc(f(x)-1)=x for all xx. If c=0c=0, this gives x=0x=0 for all xx, absurd. So c≠0c\ne0 and
f(x)=1+xc.f(x)=1+\frac xc.

Step 2. Substitute into the equation:
(1+xc)(1+yc)−1−xyc=x+y,\left(1+\frac xc\right)\left(1+\frac yc\right)-1-\frac{xy}c=x+y,
which simplifies to
(x+y)(1c−1)+xy(1c2−1c)=0for all x,y.(x+y)\left(\frac1c-1\right)+xy\left(\frac1{c^2}-\frac1c\right)=0\qquad\text{for all }x,y.
Taking y=0y=0, x=1x=1: 1c−1=0\frac1c-1=0, so c=1c=1. (Then the second coefficient is 1−1=01-1=0 as well.)

Answer. f(x)=x+1f(x)=x+1. Check: (x+1)(y+1)−(xy+1)=x+y(x+1)(y+1)-(xy+1)=x+y ✓.

Lesson. Substituting 00 for a variable often makes the equation linear in f(x)f(x): always try it first, and remember to exclude the degenerate value (c=0c=0) before dividing.