Cut the knot: learn to enjoy mathematics
A math books store at a unique math study site. Shopping at the store helps maintain the site. Thank you.
Learning Math Online
Sites for teachers
Sites for parents
Terms of use
Awards
Interactive Activities

CTK Exchange
CTK Wiki Math
CTK Insights - a blog
Math Help

III Millennium Olympiad

Games & Puzzles
What Is What
Arithmetic
Algebra
Geometry
Probability
Outline Mathematics
Make an Identity
Book Reviews
Stories for Young
Eye Opener
Analog Gadgets
Inventor's Paradox
Did you know?...
Proofs
Math as Language
Things Impossible
Visual Illusions
My Logo
Math Poll
Cut The Knot!
MSET99 Talk
Other Math sites
Front Page
Movie shortcuts
Personal info
Privacy Policy

Guest book
News sites

Recommend this site

Sites for parents

Education & Parenting

Manifesto  |  Bookstore  |  Contents  |  Amazon store  |  Term index  |  What changed?  |  Contact  |  Recommend
RSS Feed: Recent changes at CTK

Third Millennium International Mathematical Olympiad 2009
Grade 11-12
Problem 5

  Give examples of two functions f(x) and g(x) of which one is monotone increasing and the other monotone decreasing that satisfy f(sin(g(x))) = g(sin(f(x))), for all real x.

Solution

Copyright © 1996-2010 Alexander Bogomolny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The problem has multiple solutions. Most of the participants who solved the problem chose f(x) = x and g(x) = -x and made use of the fact that sine is an odd function. For so chosen f and g,

 f(sin(g(x)))= sin(-x)
  = - sin(x)
  = g(sin(x))
  = g(sin(f(x))).

Another solution is given by two piecewise-defined functions;

 
f(x)=
0ifx ≤ 0
1otherwise
 
g(x)=
 0ifx ≤ 1
-1otherwise

Indeed,

 
sin(g(x))=
   0ifx ≤ 1
-sin(1)otherwise

so that f(sin(g(x))) = 0 identically. On the other hand,

 
sin(f(x))=
 0ifx ≤ 0
sin(1)otherwise

and, since sin(1) < 1, g(sin(1)) = 0, making g(sin(f(x)) = 0, for all x.

Copyright © 1996-2010 Alexander Bogomolny

35699990Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape

Search:
Keywords:

Google
Web CTK