I need to find all functions f:R→R such that f(x+y)=f(x)+f(y). I know that there are other questions that are asking the same thing, but I'm trying to figure this out by myself as best as possible. Here is how I started out:
Try out some cases:
x=0:
f(0+y)=f(0)+f(y)⟺f(y)=f(0)+f(y)⟺0=f(0)
The same result is for when y=0
x=−y:
f(−y+y)=f(−y)+f(y)⟺f(0)=f(−y)+f(y)⟺0=f(−y)+f(y)⟺f(−y)=−f(y)
I want to extend the result of setting x=−y to numbers other that −1, perhaps all real numbers or all rational numbers. I got a little help from reading other solutions on the next part:
Let q=1+1+1+...+1. Then
f(qx)=f((1+1+...+1)x)=f(x+x+...+x)=f(x)+f(x)+...+f(x)=qf(x)
I understood this part, but I don't understand why this helps me find all the functions that satisfy the requirement that f(x+y)=f(x)+f(y), but here is how I went on:
Thus
f(qx)=qf(x) and it should follow that
f(1qx)=1qf(x) where q≠0, then it further follows that
f(pqx)=pqf(x) where pq is rational, and lastly it further follows that
f(ax)=af(x) where a is real. Thus functions of the form f(ax) where a is real satisfies the requirement of f(x+y)=f(x)+f(y).
I don't know how much of what I did is correct\incorrect, and any help would be greatly appreciated. Also is there any way that I can say that functions of the form f(ax) where a is real are the only functions that satisfy the requirement of f(x+y)=f(x)+f(y)? Or do other solutions exist?
Again, thanks a lot for any help! (Hints would be appreciated, I'll really try to understand the hints!)
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