No label defined (Q4028592)

[For the entire collection see Zbl 0746.00080.] The author considers the functional equation \[ F(x+1) = xF(x)^ \alpha F(x-1)^ \beta \] with \(\beta \geq 0\), \(\alpha+\beta =1\). He shows how to reduce the order of a class of difference equations by one. In the present case, under an appropriate growth condition, the author shows that \[ F(x + 1) F(x)^ \beta = F(2) F(1)^ \beta \Gamma(x+1),\quad 0\leq \beta<1. \] This reduces to the duplication formula for \(\Gamma(s)\) when \(\alpha=0\). An analogue of the Gauss multiplication formula is also given, as are other results. The original functional equation is misstated in the abstract and in the introduction. It is stated correctly in Section 4.