Convex functions with respect to a mean and a characterization of quasi-arithmetic means (Q1766439)

As pointed out in section 1, the author considers the functional equation \[ f[M(x,y)]=M[f(x),f(y)], \tag{1} \] and the functional inequalities \[ f[M(x,y)]\leq M[f(x),f(y)]\text{ and }f[M(x,y)]\geq M[f(x),f(y)\tag{2} \] (with misprint in the second inequality). In sections 2 and 3 the weighted power means (including the weighted geometric mean) are offered as solutions of equation (1) under the assumptions that \(M: ]0,\infty[\to]0,\infty[,\; \min(x,y)\leq M(x,y)\leq\max(x,y)\) with equality iff \(x=y,\;M\) is homogeneous (necessarily of degree \(1\)), \(M(\cdot,1)\) is twice differentiable with first derivative different from \(0\) and \(1,\) and \(f\) is neither constant, nor linear. A paper of \textit{J. Aczél} and \textit{A. Lundberg} [Aequationes Math. 67, No.~3, 276--284 (2004; Zbl 1051.22001)] is mentioned (as `in preparation') without its result that the generalization \(f[M(x,y)]=N[f(x),f(f)]\) has as solutions \(M,N\) in essence (one has to distinguish the \(x\leq y\) and \(x>y\) cases, and trivial solutions appear when \(f(z)=az^b\)) also weighted power means. There also \(M\) and \(N\) are assumed homogeneous of degree \(1\) but the mean value assumptions are weakened to \(M: I^2\to I\) and \(N: f(I)^2\to f(I)\) (\(I\subseteq \,]0,\infty[\) is a proper interval) and the differentiability assumptions are replaced by \(f\) being continuous and strictly monotonic, while \(M, N\) are continuous and strictly increasing in each variable. However, in sections 4--6 of the present paper also results are offered involving the inequality (2) and a generalization, most under differentiability assumptions, but some with no homogeneity assumed (accordingly the solutions are more general) and one without differentiability assumption, establishing relationship between functions satisfying (2) (and the mean value properties) and generalizations. The generalizations are functions \(g: I\to J\; (I,J\) are proper intervals, \(I\subset J\subset\mathbb{R})\) such that for each \(x_0\in I\) there exists a function \(f: J\to J\) which satisfies equation \(f(x_0)=g(x_0),\, f\leq g\) on \(I,\) and equation (1) where \(M: J\to J\) has again mean value properties.