On Cauchy differences of all orders (Q1180485)

The Cauchy difference of order 1 of a mapping \(f\) is \(f(x+y)-f(x)-f(y)\). \textit{B. Jessen}, \textit{J. Karpf} and \textit{A. Thorup} [Math. Scand. 22, 257--265 (1968; Zbl 0183.04004)] characterized as a Cauchy difference of order 1 the two place function \(S: G^2\to X\) where \(G\) is an abelian group and \(X\) a divisible abelian group. The characterization is unique up to an additive function. The Cauchy difference of order 2 is \(f(x+y+z)-f(x+y)-f(x+z)- f(y+z)+f(x)+f(y)+f(z)\). The authors characterize three place functions \(\Sigma: G^3\to X\), for \(G\) an abelian group and \(X\) a rational vector space, as Cauchy differences of order 2 unique up to a generalized polynomial of degree 2. They then show this result generalizes naturally but not trivially to order \(n>2\). In the statement of the uniqueness conditions of the generalization, the expression \(\frac{1}{n!}\sigma S_{12\dots n}\) on line 2 of p. 145 should read \(\frac{1}{n!}\delta S_{12\ldots n}\).