MHB What is the sum of all positive solutions?

  • Thread starter Thread starter anemone
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Positive Sum
Click For Summary
The equation to solve is \(5 + x\lfloor x \rfloor - 2x^2 = 0\), leading to a quadratic form where \(a = \lfloor x \rfloor\). The positive solutions are derived from \(x = \frac{1}{4}(a + \sqrt{a^2 + 40})\), requiring \( \lfloor x \rfloor = a\). Valid solutions occur for \(a = 1\) and \(a = 2\), yielding positive solutions \(x = \frac{1}{4}(1 + \sqrt{41})\) and \(x = \frac{1}{4}(2 + \sqrt{44})\). The sum of these solutions is \(\frac{3}{4} + \frac{1}{4}(\sqrt{41} + \sqrt{44})\).
anemone
Gold Member
MHB
POTW Director
Messages
3,851
Reaction score
115
Find the sum of the positive solutions to $5+x\lfloor x \rfloor-2x^2=0$.
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
Using The formula $(x-1)<\lfloor x \rfloor \leq x$

So $x^2-x < x\lfloor x \rfloor \leq x^2\Rightarrow x^2-x+5 < x\lfloor x \rfloor +5 \leq x^2$

So $x^2-x+5 -2x^2 < x\lfloor x \rfloor +5-2x^2 \leq x^2+5-2x^2$

So $-x^2-x+5 < 5+x\lfloor x \rfloor -2x^2 \leq -x^2+5$

So $-x^2-x+5 < 0 \leq -x^2+5$

Now Solving $-x^2-x+5 < 0$, we get $\displaystyle x> \frac{\left(\sqrt{21}-1\right)}{2}\cup x< \frac{\left(\sqrt{-21}-1\right)}{2}$

Now Solving $-x^2+5\geq 0$ , we get $\sqrt{5}\leq x \leq \sqrt{5}$

Now Solution of $-x^2-x+5 < 0 \leq -x^2+5$ is $\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{21}-1}{2}<x \leq \sqrt{5}$

So We get $\lfloor x \rfloor = 2$ means $2\leq x<3$

Now given $5+x\lfloor x \rfloor -2x^2 = 0$ put $\lfloor x \rfloor = 2\;,$ we get

$5+2x-2x^2 = 0$ ,we get $\displaystyle x = \frac{\sqrt{11}+1}{2}$

But I have missed $2$ more solution.

I did not understand where i have missed.

Thanks
 
[sp]Let $a = \lfloor x \rfloor$. The solutions of the quadratic equation $5+ax-2x^2=0$ are $\frac14\bigl(a \pm\sqrt{a^2+40}\bigr)$, and to get a positive solution we must take the positive square root. So we want to find all the non-negative integers $a$ for which $\left\lfloor \frac14\bigl(a + \sqrt{a^2+40}\bigr) \right\rfloor = a$.

When $a=0$, the solution to the quadratic is $x = \frac14\sqrt{40} \approx 1.58$ and $\lfloor x \rfloor = 1$, which is too big.

When $a=1$, the solution to the quadratic is $x = \frac14\bigl(1 + \sqrt{41}\bigr) \approx 1.85$ and $\lfloor x \rfloor = 1$. So $x = \frac14\bigl(1 +\sqrt{41}\bigr)$ qualifies as a solution.

When $a=2$, the solution to the quadratic is $x = \frac14\bigl(2 + \sqrt{44}\bigr) \approx 2.16$ and $\lfloor x \rfloor = 2$. So $x = \frac14\bigl(2 +\sqrt{44}\bigr)$ qualifies as a solution.

When $a\geqslant3$, $\sqrt{a^2+40} \leqslant a+4$ and so $\frac14\bigl(a + \sqrt{a^2+40}\bigr) \leqslant \frac12a+1$, which is less than $a$ and therefore too small.

So the only solutions occur when $a=1$ or $2$, and the sum of those solutions is $\frac34 + \frac14\bigl(\sqrt{41} + \sqrt{44}\bigr).$[/sp]
 
jacks said:
Using The formula $(x-1)<\lfloor x \rfloor \leq x$

So $x^2-x < x\lfloor x \rfloor \leq x^2\Rightarrow x^2-x+5 < x\lfloor x \rfloor +5 \leq x^2$

So $x^2-x+5 -2x^2 < x\lfloor x \rfloor +5-2x^2 \leq x^2+5-2x^2$

So $-x^2-x+5 < 5+x\lfloor x \rfloor -2x^2 \leq -x^2+5$

So $-x^2-x+5 < 0 \leq -x^2+5$

Now Solving $-x^2-x+5 < 0$, we get $\displaystyle x> \frac{\left(\sqrt{21}-1\right)}{2}\cup x< \frac{\left(\sqrt{-21}-1\right)}{2}$

Now Solving $-x^2+5\geq 0$ , we get $\sqrt{5}\leq x \leq \sqrt{5}$

Now Solution of $-x^2-x+5 < 0 \leq -x^2+5$ is $\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{21}-1}{2}<x \leq \sqrt{5}$

So We get $\lfloor x \rfloor = 2$ means $2\leq x<3$

Now given $5+x\lfloor x \rfloor -2x^2 = 0$ put $\lfloor x \rfloor = 2\;,$ we get

$5+2x-2x^2 = 0$ ,we get $\displaystyle x = \frac{\sqrt{11}+1}{2}$

But I have missed $2$ more solution.

I did not understand where i have missed.

Thanks

Hi jacks, thanks for participating and I want to tell you that from the final set of solution that you have already figured it out, i.e. $\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{21}-1}{2}<x \leq \sqrt{5}$, $\lfloor x \rfloor$ can be either 1 or 2. And from $\lfloor x \rfloor=1$, you will find the other remaining 2 solutions.:)

Opalg said:
[sp]Let $a = \lfloor x \rfloor$. The solutions of the quadratic equation $5+ax-2x^2=0$ are $\frac14\bigl(a \pm\sqrt{a^2+40}\bigr)$, and to get a positive solution we must take the positive square root. So we want to find all the non-negative integers $a$ for which $\left\lfloor \frac14\bigl(a + \sqrt{a^2+40}\bigr) \right\rfloor = a$.

When $a=0$, the solution to the quadratic is $x = \frac14\sqrt{40} \approx 1.58$ and $\lfloor x \rfloor = 1$, which is too big.

When $a=1$, the solution to the quadratic is $x = \frac14\bigl(1 + \sqrt{41}\bigr) \approx 1.85$ and $\lfloor x \rfloor = 1$. So $x = \frac14\bigl(1 +\sqrt{41}\bigr)$ qualifies as a solution.

When $a=2$, the solution to the quadratic is $x = \frac14\bigl(2 + \sqrt{44}\bigr) \approx 2.16$ and $\lfloor x \rfloor = 2$. So $x = \frac14\bigl(2 +\sqrt{44}\bigr)$ qualifies as a solution.

When $a\geqslant3$, $\sqrt{a^2+40} \leqslant a+4$ and so $\frac14\bigl(a + \sqrt{a^2+40}\bigr) \leqslant \frac12a+1$, which is less than $a$ and therefore too small.

So the only solutions occur when $a=1$ or $2$, and the sum of those solutions is $\frac34 + \frac14\bigl(\sqrt{41} + \sqrt{44}\bigr).$[/sp]

Well done Opalg and thanks for participating!:cool:
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K