Plugging in y as 0: f(x2)=f(f(x))+f(0) (1)
Plugging in x,y as 0: f(0)=f(f(0))+f(0) or f(f(0))=0 Plugging in x as 0: f(−y)+2yf(0)=f(f(0))+f(y), but since f(f(0))=0, f(−y)+2yf(0)=f(y) (2)
Plugging in y2 instead of y in the given equation: f(x2−y2)+2y2f(x)=f(f(x))+f(y2) Replacing y and x : f(y2−x2)+2x2f(y)=f(f(y))+f(x2) The difference would be:
f(x2−y2)−f(y2−x2)+2y2f(x)−2x2f(y)=f(f(x))−f(x2)−f(f(y))−f(y2) (3)
The right-hand side would be f(0)−f(0)=0 by (1). Also, f(x2−y2)−f(y2−x2)=2(x2−y2)f(0) by (2) So, (3) is reduced to: 2(x2−y2)f(0)+2y2f(x)−2x2f(y)=0 Regrouping and dividing by 2: y2(f(x)−f(0))=x2(f(y)−f(0)) x2f(x)−f(0)=y2f(y)−f(0) Because this holds for all x and y, x2f(x)−f(0) is a constant. So, f(x)=cx2+f(0) .
This function must be even, so f(y)−f(−y)=0 .
So, along with (2) , 2yf(0)=0 for all y , so f(0)=0 , and f(x)=cx2 .
Plugging in cx2 for f(x) in the original equation, we get: c(x4−2x2y+y2)+2cx2y=c3x4+cy2 c(x4+y2)=c(c2x4+y2) So, c=0 or c2=1. All of these solutions work, so the solutions are f(x)=−x2,0,x2 .
-codemaster11