Predict p

Algebra Level 3

A real function f ( x ) f(x) of real x x satisfies f ( f ( x ) ) + x 2 + x + p = x f ( x ) f\left (f(x)\right ) +x^2+x+p=xf(x) , where p p is a constant. What is the minimum of f ( 2 x + 3 x ) f\left (2x+\dfrac{3}{x}\right ) for positive real x x ?


The answer is 6.899.

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1 solution

From the functional equation f ( f ( x ) ) + x 2 + x + p = x f ( x ) f(f(x))+x^2+x+p=xf(x) , we note that the degree of the left hand side is at least 2 2 . Let the degree of f ( x ) f(x) be n n , then the degree of f ( f ( x ) ) f(f(x)) is 2 n 2n . Since 2 n 2 2n\ge 2 , the degree of the LHS is 2 n 2n . The degree of the RHS is n + 1 n+1 . Equating the degrees on both sides, we have 2 n = n + 1 n = 1 2n=n+1\implies n =1 . Then f ( x ) f(x) is of the form f ( x ) = a x + b f(x) = ax+b , where a a and b b are constants. Then the functional equation becomes

F ( x ) : a ( a x + b ) + b + x 2 + x + p = x ( a x + b ) F ( x ) : a 2 x + a b + b + x 2 + x + p = a x 2 + b x F ( 0 ) : a b + b + p = 0 F ( x ) : a 2 x + x 2 + x = a x 2 + b x F ( 1 ) : a 2 + 2 = a + b F ( 1 ) : a 2 = a b F ( 1 ) + F ( 1 ) : 2 = 2 a a = 1 F ( 1 ) : 1 = 1 b b = 2 f ( x ) = x + 2 \begin{array} {rl} F(x): &a(ax+b)+b+x^2+x+p=x(ax+b) \\ F(x): &a^2x+ab+b+x^2+x+p = ax^2+bx \\ F(0): & ab+b+p = 0 \\ \implies F(x): &a^2x+x^2+x = ax^2+bx \\ F(1): & a^2+2 = a+b \\ F(-1): & -a^2 = a-b \\ F(1)+F(-1): & 2 = 2a \\ \implies & a = 1 \\ F(-1): & -1 = 1-b \\ \implies & b = 2 \\ \implies & f(x) = x + 2 \end{array}

Then we have:

f ( 2 x + 3 x ) = 2 x + 3 x + 2 By AM-GM inequality 2 6 + 2 Equality occurs when x = 3 2 6.899 \begin{aligned} f\left(2x+\frac 3x \right)&= \blue{2x+\frac 3x} + 2 & \small \blue{\text{By AM-GM inequality}} \\ & \ge \blue{2\sqrt 6} + 2 & \small \blue{\text{Equality occurs when }x=\sqrt{\frac 32}} \\ & \approx \boxed{6.899} \end{aligned}

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