Kernels of higher order Cauchy differences on free groups (Q2340861)

Let \((S, .)\) be a semigroup and \((H, +)\) be an abelian group. For a function \(f : S \to H\) its Cauchy differences, \(C^m f\), are defined by \[ \begin{aligned} & C^0 f = f,\\ & C^1 f(x_1, x_2) = f(x_1x_2)-f(x_1)-f(x_2),\end{aligned} \] \[ \begin{multlined} C^{m+1}f(x_1, x_2, \dots, x_{m+2}) = C^m f(x_1x_2, x_3, \dots , x_{m+2})\\ -C^m f(x_1, x_3, \dots, x_{m+2})-C^m f(x_2, x_3, \dots , x_{m+2}).\end{multlined} \] \textit{C. T. Ng} and \textit{H. Y. Zhao} [Aequationes Math. 86, No. 1--2, 155--170 (2013; Zbl 1286.39012)] obtained the general solution of \(C^2 f = 0\) for free groups, cyclic groups and permutation groups. In this article, the author extends some results and also solves the equation \(C^3 f=0\) on free groups. In the particular case, where the free group is generated by a single letter, \(C^k f=0\) is solved for a general \(k\).