$f$ is continuous, $f(0)=1$, $f(m+n+1)=f(m)+f(n)$ for all real $m,n$. Show that $f(x)=1+x$ for all real $x$.

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In order to prove this, I had to back the proof up into a number of Lemmas. I am wondering if my method was reasonable, or if there was a more general or expedient path I might have taken? (I have left out all of the actual proofs with the exception of Lemma 6.)

Lemma 1:

For any $a\in\mathbb{R}$, $$f(a)=1+a \implies f(-a)=1-a.$$

Lemma 2:

For any $n\in\mathbb{N}$, $\quad f(n)=1+n$.

Lemma 3:

For any $n\in\mathbb{N}$, $\quad f\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)=1+\frac{1}{n}$.

Lemma 4:

For any rational $\frac{m}{n}$, such that $0<m<n$, $\quad f\left(\frac{m}{n}\right)=1+\frac{m}{n}$.

Lemma 5:

For any $a\in\mathbb{Q}$, $\quad f(a)=1+a$.

Lemma 6:

For any irrational $x, \quad f(x)=1+x.$

Proof: Assume, for some irrational $x, \quad f(x)\neq 1+x$.

Say $f(x)>1+x$, then $$f(x)-(1+x)=t>0$$

and so, for any rational $a<x$ $$ f(x)-(1+a)>t.$$

However, by the definition of continuity, with $\epsilon=t$, for any rational satisfying $$x-\delta<a<x \quad\implies f(x)-(1+a)<t,$$

which is a contradiction. A similar argument shows that assuming $f(x)<1+x$ also leads to a contradiction, and it follows that $$f(x)=1+x.\quad \square$$

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If you make a translation $g(x) = f(x-1)$ the problem reduces to finding all continuous functions $g$, such that $g(1) = 1$, $g(x+y) = g(x) + g(y)$ for all real $x, y$. The second of these makes $g$ what is called an additive function; is a very standard functional equation which leads to $g(x)= g(1)x$ when any of the following additional assumptions is satisfied:

  • $g$ is continuous at some point $x_0$ (you have that it is continuous everywhere, but it would have been enough to know it is continuous at any one arbitrary point)

  • $g$ is bounded on some interval

  • $g$ is monotonic on some interval

The proof, in general, proceeds exactly along the lines of those lemmas. But if you are allowed to use that a continuous additive function is always $g(x) = g(1)x$ as a theorem, you can "skip" all the lemmas.