The addition formula for theta functions

Summary In this paper we solve the functional equationx(u + v)(u – v) = f ₁(u)g₁(v) + f₂(u)g₂(v) under the assumption thatx, , f ₁, f₂, g₁, g₂ are complex-valued functions onR ⁿ ,n N arbitrary, and 0 and 0 are continuous. Our main result shows that, apart from degeneracy and some obvious modifications, theta functions of one complex variable are the only continuous solutions of this functional equation.