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Difference and functional equations Definition

Cauchy's logarithmic equation

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Definition

Cauchy's logarithmic equation is the functional equation f(xy)=f(x)+f(y)for all x,y>0,f(xy) = f(x) + f(y) \quad \text{for all } x, y > 0, for an unknown function f ⁣:(0,∞)→ℝf \colon (0, \infty) \to \R. A solution is a function ff that satisfies this identity for all positive xx and yy.

Remarks

Example: f(x)=log⁡2xf(x) = \log_2 x is a solution, since log⁡2(xy)=log⁡2x+log⁡2y\log_2(xy) = \log_2 x + \log_2 y. Non-example: f(x)=x−1f(x) = x - 1 is not a solution, since f(2⋅2)=3f(2 \cdot 2) = 3 while f(2)+f(2)=2f(2) + f(2) = 2. The substitution x=esx = e^s, y=ety = e^t turns the equation into additivity of A(s)=f(es)A(s) = f(e^s). So the solutions are f(x)=A(ln⁡x)f(x) = A(\ln x) with AA an additive function, and the continuous ones are f(x)=cln⁡xf(x) = c \ln x. On the domain ℝ∖{0}\R \setminus \set{0} the solutions are f(x)=A(ln⁡∣x∣)f(x) = A(\ln \abs{x}); on all of ℝ\R only f=0f = 0 is a solution, since f(0)=f(0)+f(x)f(0) = f(0) + f(x).

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Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauchy%27s_functional_equation
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