We are told that f(x) is a polynomial function such that f(a)f(b) = f(...
f(a)f(b) = f(a) + f(b) + f(ab) - 2
Put a = b = 1.
[f(1)] 2 =3f(1)−2 ⇒ f(1) = 1 (or) 2.
Let's assume f(1) = 1
Now, put b = 1.
f(a) = 2f(a) - 1
⇒ f(a) = 1 ⇒ For all values of a, f(a) = 1.
This is false because f(4) = 17.
⇒ f(1) = 2 is the correct value.
Now put b = 1/a
f(a)f(1/a) = f(a) + f(1/a) + 2 - 2
⇒ f(a)f(1/a) = f(a) + f(1/a)
So taking RHS terms to LHS and adding 1 to both sides we get
f(a)f(1/a) - f(a) - f(1/a) +1 = 1
(f(a) - 1) (f(1/a)-1) = 1
Let g(x) = f(x)-1
So g(x)*g(1/x) = 1
So g(x) is of the form + xn
So f(x) is of the form xn + 1.
f(a) = + an + 1 satisfies the above condition.
- 4n + 1 = 17 ⇒ 4n = 16 which is not possible.
4a +1 = 17 ⇒ n = 2
⇒ f(a) = a2 + 1
⇒ f(7) = 72 + 1 = 50
We are told that f(x) is a polynomial function such that f(a)f(b) = f(...
Solution:
Given that f(x) is a polynomial function, we can write it in the form:
f(x) = aₙxⁿ + aₙ₋₁xⁿ⁻¹ + ... + a₁x + a₀
where aₙ, aₙ₋₁, ..., a₁, a₀ are the coefficients of the polynomial and n is the degree of the polynomial.
Step 1: Finding the degree of the polynomial
Since we are given that f(a)f(b) = f(a)f(b)f(ab) - 2, let's substitute x = a and x = b to get two equations:
f(a)f(b) = f(a)f(b)f(ab) - 2 ...(1)
f(a) = 17 ...(2)
Substituting f(a) = 17 in equation (1), we get:
17f(b) = 17f(b)f(ab) - 2
Simplifying the equation, we have:
17f(b)f(ab) - 17f(b) - 2 = 0
Now, consider this equation as a quadratic equation in f(b). Let f(ab) = k, where k is a constant. Then we have:
17kf(b) - 17f(b) - 2 = 0
This is a quadratic equation in f(b) with coefficients 17k, -17, and -2. For this equation to have real roots, the discriminant (b² - 4ac) must be greater than or equal to 0. So we have:
(-17)² - 4(17k)(-2) ≥ 0
289 + 136k ≥ 0
289 ≥ -136k
-289/136 ≤ k
Since k = f(ab), it means that f(ab) ≤ -289/136.
Step 2: Finding the value of f(7)
Now, using the given equation f(a)f(b) = f(a)f(b)f(ab) - 2, let's substitute a = 4 and b = 7 to get:
f(4)f(7) = f(4)f(7)f(28) - 2
Substituting f(4) = 17 from the given information, we have:
17f(7) = 17f(7)f(28) - 2
Dividing both sides by 17, we get:
f(7) = f(7)f(28) - 2
Since f(ab) ≤ -289/136, we know that f(28) ≤ -289/136.
Substituting this inequality in the equation above, we have:
f(7) = f(7)(-289/136) - 2
Multiplying through by 136 to clear the fraction, we get:
136f(7) = -289f(7) - 272
Rearranging the equation, we have:
425f(7) = -272
Dividing both sides by 425, we get:
f(7) = -272/425
Calculating the value, we find:
f(7) ≈ -0.639
Therefore, the value of f(7) is approximately -0.639 and not 50 as mentioned in the