Help with understanding a floor proof

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around proving a property related to the floor function, specifically that for any real number x, if x - floor(x) < 1/2, then floor(2x) = 2 floor(x). Participants are exploring the implications of this statement and the underlying logic involved in the proof.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are attempting to understand how the inequalities involving the floor function lead to the conclusion of the proof. Questions are raised about the relationship between 2 floor(x) and floor(2x), and how the inequalities are derived and interpreted.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided insights into the proof structure and the necessary inequalities. There is an ongoing exploration of the conditions under which the floor function behaves as described, with no explicit consensus reached yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants are discussing the implications of specific cases based on the fractional part of x, which influences the behavior of the floor function. The discussion includes considerations of integer and fractional components of x, as well as the constraints imposed by the original problem statement.

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Homework Statement


Prove that for any real number x, if x - floor(x) < 1/2, then floor(2x) = 2 floor(x)

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


Assuming that x is a real number. Suppose that x - floor(x) < 1/2
Multiplying both sides by 2, 2x < 2 floor(x) + 1
from the definition, 2 floor(x) <= 2x
2 floor(x) is an integer, and 2 floor(x) <= 2x < 2 floor(x) + 1
Implying floor(2x) = 2 floor(x)

My question is, how does the proof imply the result? I don't see how the logic works. Thank you for any help you can provide in advance.
 
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Temp0 said:
2 floor(x) is an integer, and 2 floor(x) <= 2x < 2 floor(x) + 1
Implying floor(2x) = 2 floor(x)

My question is, how does the proof imply the result? I don't see how the logic works. Thank you for any help you can provide in advance.

The key is that floor(x) and floor(2x) are both integers and the relation you have above is 2floor(x) < 2 floor(x) + 1. You seem to be missing the part where 2floor(x) <= floor(2x).
 
I see... I guess I missed that part, haha, just wondering, does it come from the inequality:

floor (2x) <= 2x < floor(2x) + 1 ?

I can see how it relates... kind of, since

2 floor (x) <= 2x as well, but how does

2floor(x) <= floor (2x) ?
 
2 floor(x) is always less than or equal to floor(2x).

If you let ## x = x_{int} + x_{frac} ## where ##x_{int}\in \mathbb{Z}, 0 \leq x_{frac}<1##
Then ##\text{floor}(x) = x_{int}=x-x_{frac}##
## 2\text{floor}(x) = 2x_{int}=2x-2x_{frac}##
But floor(2x) has 2 cases:
case 1:
##x_{frac}<.5 \implies 2x_{frac} < 1 \implies floor(2x) = 2 x_{int} = 2floor(x) ##
case 2:
##.5 \leq x_{frac}<1 \implies 2x_{frac} \geq 1 \implies floor(2x) = 2 x_{int} + 1=2floor(x) + 1 ##
In both cases, floor(2x) ##\geq ## 2floor(x) .
 
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