# Proof verification: system of functional equation

A problem in Putnam Competition 1992(?). The question asked:

Prove that, the only solution of the system of functional equation with respect to $f:\mathbb Z\to\mathbb Z$:$$\begin{cases} f(f(n))=n\\ f(f(n+2)+2)=n\\ f(0)=1 \end{cases}$$ is $f(n)=1-n$.

I know that the usual way is to construct another solution, and show that the difference between the two solutions is zero. But I want to use equivalence condition this time. (i.e. Prove that the system is equivalent to say that $f(n)=1-n$).

Now, we have $$f(f(n))=f(f(n+2)+2)$$ Take $f$ on both sides. $$f(f(f(n)))=f(f(f(n+2)+2))$$ Again by the first equation, $$f(n)=f(n+2)+2$$ And another useful thing is that, $$f(1)=f(f(0))=0$$

So, the original system is equivalent to say the recurrent relation $$\begin{cases} f(n)=f(n+2)+2\\ f(0)=1\\ f(1)=0 \end{cases}$$ The sequence-like function satisfying above is unique, trivially (as for all integers, we could find an unique image of it). So our proof is actually done already as $f(n)=1-n$ is simply a solution. Q.E.D.

In my proof, I used a lot of equivalence condition. I know that my proof is valid if the conditions are actually equivalent. I think so for myself, but I want peer reviews also. Thanks in advance.

Your proof is correct, well done! If you wanted to, you could show that from your last recurrence relation $$\begin{cases} f(n)=f(n+2)+2\\ f(0)=1\\ f(1)=0 \end{cases}$$ yields a unique solution through a simple induction as well.
Note that $f$ is an injective function. To show this, suppose $f(m)=f(n)$ for some $m,n\in\mathbb{Z}$. Therefore, $$m=f\big(f(m)\big)=f\big(f(n)\big)=n\,.$$
Now, the condition $f\big(f(n+2)+2\big)=n$ comes into play. Observe that $$f\big(f(n)\big)=n=f\big(f(n+2)+2\big)\,.$$ By injectivity, $$f(n)=f(n+2)+2\text{ for all }n\in\mathbb{Z}\,.\tag{*}$$
Since $f(0)=1$, we conclude by induction on $n$ that $$f(2n)=1-2n\text{ for every }n\in\mathbb{Z}_{\geq 0}\,.$$ We can also induct the other way around, using (*), again to show that $$f(2n)=1-2n\text{ for every }n\in\mathbb{Z}_{<0}\,.$$ This shows that $f(n)=1-n$ for all even integers $n$. Now, let $n$ be an odd integer. We get that $$f\big(f(n)\big)=n=1-(1-n)=f(1-n)\,,$$ as $1-n$ is an even integer. Therefore, $$f(n)=1-n\text{ for each odd integer }n$$ as well.