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Functional Equation involving cubes

Source: Chinese MO 1996

April 25, 2010
geometry3D geometryfunctionalgebra unsolvedalgebra

Problem Statement

Suppose that the function f:RRf:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R} satisfies f(x3+y3)=(x+y)(f(x)2f(x)f(y)+f(y)2)f(x^3 + y^3)=(x+y)(f(x)^2-f(x)f(y)+f(y)^2) for all x,yRx,y\in\mathbb{R}. Prove that f(1996x)=1996f(x)f(1996x)=1996f(x) for all xRx\in\mathbb{R}.