Alienation of the logarithmic and exponential functional equations (Q264163)

Let \(E_1=0\) and \(E_2=0\) be arbitrary functional equations. Obviously from them the functional equation \(E_1=E_2\) is derived. If the converse is true, i.e., from \(E_1=E_2\) it follows that \(E_1=0\) and \(E_2=0\), then the two functional equations are said to be \textit{alien}. This phenomenon has been discussed by \textit{J. Dhombres} [Aequationes Math. 35, No. 2--3, 186--212 (1988; Zbl 0654.39003)]. The authors investigate the alienation of logarithmic and exponential Cauchy functional equations, that is they consider the functional equation \[ f(xy)-f(x)-f(y)=g(x+y)-g(x)g(y). \tag{E} \] If \(f, g:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R\), then equation (E) has the following solutions: {\parindent=0.7cm \begin{itemize}\item[(i)] \(f(x)\equiv 0\) and \(g\) exponential function; \item[(ii)] \(f(x)\equiv \alpha(\alpha+1)\) and \(g(x)\equiv \alpha+1\); \item[(iii)] \(f(x)=-\alpha x^2+\alpha(\alpha+1)\) and \(g(x)=-\alpha x+\alpha+1\), \end{itemize}} for some \(\alpha \in\mathbb R\setminus \{0\}\). The situation is more intricate when it is assumed that \(f:\mathbb R\setminus\{0\}\to\mathbb R\) and \(g:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R\). The following theorem holds. Theorem: If \(g(1) \neq 1\) or \(f(1) \neq 0\), then \[ g(x+y)=g(x)g(y) \quad \text{and} \quad f(xy)=f(x)+f(y), \] or there exist \(\alpha\in\mathbb R\setminus \{0\}\) and a function \(F:\mathbb R\setminus \{0\}\to\mathbb R\) satisfying \(F(xy)=F(x)+F(y)\) such that \[ g(x)=\alpha x+(1-\alpha), \quad f(x)=F(x)-\alpha x^2-\alpha(1-\alpha), \] or there exist \(\beta\in\mathbb R\setminus \{1\}\) and a function \(F:\mathbb R\setminus\{0\}\to\mathbb R\) satisfying \(F(xy)=F(x)+F(y)\) such that \[ g(x)\equiv \beta, \quad f(x)=F(x)+\beta^2-\beta. \] If \(g(1)=1\), \(f(1)=0\) and \(g\) is continuous at the origin, then \[ g(x)\equiv 1, \quad f(xy)=f(x)+f(y). \] It remains open the problem the problem of finding all solutions of (E) when \(g(1)=1\), \(f(1)=0\), without requiring the continuity of \(g\) in \(x=0\).