On the functional equation \(G(x,G(y,x))=G(y,G(x,y))\) and means (Q2300142)

A real valued function \(M(x,y)\) is called a mean, if \(\min(x,y)\le M(x,y)\le \max(x,y)\) for all \(x,y\) in some interval. A mean is called weighted quasi-arithmetic, if there exists a strictly monotone function \(h(x)\) and a number \(w\in (0,1)\) such that \(M(x,y) = h^{-1} (w h(x)+(1-w) h(y))\). In the present paper the authors show that every continuous and reducible solution of the functional equation \(G(x,G(y,x)) = G(y,G(x,y))\) generates a mean resembling a weighted quasi-arithmetic mean, but no weighted quasi-arithmetic mean is a solution of this equation.