IMO 1996 · Problem 3

Let \(S\) denote the set of nonnegative integers. Find all functions \(f\) from \(S\) to itself such that \[ f(m+f(n))=f(f(m))+f(n)\qquad \forall m,n\in S. \]

Official text of the problem. Official problem paper (PDF)

Answer

The solutions are \(f(n)=0\) for every \(n\in S\), and all functions of the following form:

Choose a positive integer \(d\) and arbitrary nonnegative integers \(c_0,c_1,\ldots,c_{d-1}\) with \(c_0=0\). Set \[ \boxed{f(qd+r)=d(q+c_r)\qquad(q\ge0,\ 0\le r<d).} \]

Solution

Putting \(m=n=0\) in the given equation yields \[ f(f(0))=f(f(0))+f(0), \] so \(f(0)=0\). Taking \(m=0\) now gives \[ f(f(n))=f(n)\qquad(n\in S). \] Consequently, the original equation becomes \[ f(m+f(n))=f(m)+f(n)\qquad(m,n\in S). \tag{1} \]

The identically zero function is a solution. Suppose henceforth that \(f\) is not identically zero. Let \(d\) be its smallest positive value, and choose \(t\in S\) with \(f(t)=d\). Equation (1), with \(n=t\), gives \[ f(m+d)=f(m)+d\qquad(m\in S). \] Iterating this identity, we obtain \[ f(qd+r)=qd+f(r)\qquad(q\ge0,\ 0\le r<d). \tag{2} \]

We next prove that each \(f(r)\), for \(0\le r<d\), is divisible by \(d\). By the division algorithm, write \[ f(r)=kd+s,\qquad k\ge0,\quad 0\le s<d. \] Using idempotence and (2), we have \[ kd+s=f(r)=f(f(r))=f(kd+s)=kd+f(s). \] Thus \(f(s)=s\). If \(s>0\), this would make \(s\) a positive value of \(f\) smaller than \(d\), contradicting the choice of \(d\). Therefore \(s=0\).

It follows that \(f(r)=dc_r\) for some nonnegative integer \(c_r\). Since \(f(0)=0\), we have \(c_0=0\), and (2) becomes precisely \[ f(qd+r)=d(q+c_r). \] This proves that every solution has one of the stated forms.

Conversely, choose any parameters as in the answer and define \(f\) by that formula. It maps \(S\) into \(S\). Since \(c_0=0\), \[ f(kd)=kd\qquad(k\ge0). \] Every value of \(f\) is a multiple of \(d\), so \(f(f(m))=f(m)\).

For arbitrary \(m,n\in S\), write \(m=qd+r\), where \(0\le r<d\), and write \(f(n)=kd\). Then \[ \begin{aligned} f(m+f(n)) &=f((q+k)d+r)\\ &=d(q+k+c_r)\\ &=f(m)+f(n)\\ &=f(f(m))+f(n). \end{aligned} \] Thus every listed function satisfies the required equation, completing the classification.

The solution was checked against John Scholes' IMO solution archive (Kalva).