Note on an equation occurring in a problem of Nicole Brillouët-Belluot (Q1925798)

The authors consider the following functional equation: \[ f(x) f^{-1}(x) =x^{2}, \quad x\in I, \] which appeared in connection with a problem posed by Nicole Brillouët-Bellout during the 49th international symposium on functional equations in 2011. The paper is strictly connected with the earlier result of the second author [Aequationes Math. 84, No. 3, 219--225 (2012; Zbl 1262.39033)], where all continuous bijections defined on real intervals \(I\) and satisfying the equation were determined. Now, the authors present some results where no continuity assumption is imposed on its bijective solution. They note that one can expect discontinuous solutions defined on \(I\) only if either \(I\) is a half-line ending with \(0\) or \(0\in \text{int} I\). One of the main results says that if \(0\in \text{int}I\) and a function \(x\mapsto f(x)/x\) has at \(0\) (finite or not) left hand limit \(a\) and right hand limit \(b\), then \(a\) and \(b\) are finite, non-zero, and either both are positive or \(a=b\). Moreover, \(f\) is either of the form \[ f(x) =\begin{cases} ax & \text{if}\, x\in I\cap \left( -\infty ,0\right),\\ bx & \text{if}\, x\in I\cap \left[ 0,\infty \right),\end{cases} \] or \[ \left| f(x) \right| =\left| x\right| , \quad x\in I. \] A counterpart of this result for half-lines ending with \(0\) is also provided.