A restricted symmetric derivative for continuous functions of two variables (Q810165)

The paper deals with symmetric differences of real valued functions defined on the plane \(R^ 2\). If f is such a function, the symmetric difference at (x,y) is \(\Delta f(x,y;h,k)=f(x+h,y+k)+f(x-h,y-k)-f(x+h,y- k)-f(x-h,y+k).\) The author considers differences where \(k\geq rh\) holds for a positive number r. These are indicated by \(\Delta_ ff(x,y;h,k).\) It is proved: If f is continuous and \(\lim_{k\to 0}\Delta_ ff(x,y;h,k)/4hk=0\) for all \((x,y),\) then there are one-variable functions a and b so that \(f(x,y)=a(x)+b(y).\) This improves a result of \textit{J. M. Ash}, \textit{J. Cohen}, \textit{C. Freiling} and the author (Generalization of the wave equation, Trans. Am. Math. Soc., to appear).