Additive functions

March 20, 2018

Definition 1. A function f : R → R is said to be additive if ∀x, y ∈ R,

f (x + y) = f (x) + f (y).

Prove that

1. ∀n ∈ N, ∀x ∈ R, f (nx) = nf (x).

2. ∀n ∈ Z, ∀x ∈ R, f (nx) = nf (x).

3. ∀r ∈ Q, ∀x ∈ R, f (rx) = rf (x).

4. If f is continuous at some point c ∈ R, then it is continuous at every

x ∈ R.

5. If f is continuous on R, then ∀c ∈ R, ∀x ∈ R, f (cx) = cf (x).

1. We proceed by induction. We have that, f (1 · x) = f (x) = 1 · f (x) for

all x ∈ R so the result is true for n = 1. Suppose that f (nx) = nf (x)
for some arbitrary n ∈ N and for all x ∈ R. Then


f (n + 1)x = f (nx + x) = f (nx) + f (x) = nf (x) + f (x) = (n + 1)f (x)

for all x ∈ R so the the result is true for n + 1.

2. We know the result is true for all n ∈ N. We will show that it is true
for n = 0 and for all n ∈ −N. First, notice that f (0) = f (0 + 0) =
f (0) + f (0) so we have that f (0) = 0. Then

f (0 · x) = f (0) = 0 = 0 · f (x)

1
 for all x ∈ R so the result is true for n = 0.
Second, notice that 0 = f (0) = f (x − x) = f (x) + f (−x) so we have
that f (−x) = −f (x). Then f (−mx) = −f (mx) = −mf (x) for all
m ∈ N and for all x ∈ R so the result is true for all n ∈ −N.

3. Notice that f (x) = f ( pp x) = pf ( p1 x) so we have that f ( p1 x) = p1 f (x) for

all p ∈ Z − {0} and for all x ∈ R. Then

p 1 p
f ( ) = pf ( ) = f (x)
q q q
for all p ∈ Z, for all q ∈ Z − {0} and for all x ∈ R so the result is true
for all r ∈ Q.

4. Suppose f is continuous at c ∈ R. Then lim f (x) = f (c). Let a ∈ R

x→c
We have that

lim f (x) = lim f (a + x − c) = lim f (a) + f (x) − f (c)

x→a x→c x→c

= lim f (a) + lim f (x) − lim f (c) = f (a) + f (c) − f (c) = f (a).
x→c x→c x→c

We conclude that f (x) is continuous at every x ∈ R.

5. Suppose f is continuous on R and let c ∈ R. Then there exist a

sequence of of rational numbers (rn ) with rn −→ c. This implies that

f (rn x) = rn f (x) −→ cf (x)

for all x ∈ R. Since f is continuous we conclude that f (cx) = cf (x)

for all c ∈ R and for all x ∈ R.