The kernel of the second order Cauchy difference on semigroups (Q525081)

Let \((S,\cdot)\) be a semigroup and let \((H,+)\) be an abelian group. Denote by \(C^2f\) the second-order Cauchy difference of a function \(f: S \to H\), i.e., \(C^2f: S \times S \times S \to H\), and \[ C^2f(x, y, z) := f(x y z) - f(x y ) - f(y z) - f(x z) + f(x) + f(y) + f(z). \] The main result is the following. Assume that \(H\) is uniquely 2-divisible or S is generated by its squares. If \(f: S \to H\) is a solution of the functional equation \[ C^2f(x,y,z) = 0,\tag{1} \] then there exists a solution \(j: S \to H\) of the functional equation \[ j(x y) + j(y x) = 2 j(x) + 2 j(y) \] and a bi-additive map \(B: S \times S \to H\) such that \[ f(x) = j(x) + B(x,x)\tag{2} \] for all \(x \in S\). The author also gives an example of the pair \((S,H) = (\mathbb{Z}, \mathbb{Z})\) and the solution \(f(n) = \frac{1}{2}n(n - 1)\) of equation (1) for which decomposition (2) is not possible.