Infinite...or finite?

Algebra Level 4

For which values of x x would give an integer answer in x + x + x + x + x + x + x . . . \sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x...}}}}}}}

Enter your answer as the sum of all the possible values of x x between 0 and 200 inclusive divided by the number of possible values of x x from 0 to 200 inclusive.


The answer is 65.

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1 solution

Chew-Seong Cheong
Jan 25, 2019

Let y = x + x + x + x + y = \sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\cdots}}}} . Then we have

y 2 = x + x + x + x + x + y 2 = x + y x = y 2 y = y ( y 1 ) \begin{aligned} y^2 & = x + \sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\cdots}}}} \\ y^2 & = x + y \\ \implies x & = y^2 - y = y(y-1) \end{aligned}

Since 0 x 200 0 \le x \le 200 , we have 0 y ( y 1 ) 200 0 \le y(y-1) \le 200 . Note that y 0 y \ge 0 and the possible integer y y is given by 0 y 200 = 14 0 \le y \le \left \lfloor \sqrt{200} \right \rfloor = 14 . Since y = 0 y=0 and y = 1 y=1 both produce x = 0 x=0 , there are only 14 possible integer values of x [ 0 , 200 ] x \in [0, 200] for integer y [ 1 , 14 ] y \in [1, 14] .

Then the sum of integer x [ 0.200 ] x \in [0.200] is S = y = 1 14 y ( y 1 ) = y = 1 14 ( y 2 y ) = 14 ( 15 ) ( 29 ) 6 14 ( 15 ) 2 = 910 \displaystyle S = \sum_{y=1}^{14} y(y-1) = \sum_{y=1}^{14} (y^2 - y) = \frac {14(15)(29)}6 - \frac {14(15)}2 = 910 and divided by the number of values of x x , 910 14 = 65 \dfrac {910}{14} = \boxed{65} .

How about x=0

Sujith Kumar - 2 years, 4 months ago

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Yes, I counted x = 0 x=0 , so that there are 14 values of x x .

Chew-Seong Cheong - 2 years, 4 months ago

Did you realise that all the solutions are pronic numbers (a number which is the product of two consecutive integers) ?

Daniel Xian - 2 years, 4 months ago

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Yes, they are n ( n + 1 ) n(n+1) .

Chew-Seong Cheong - 2 years, 4 months ago

I tried to use the theory that the constant of y is -1 which means the sum of the quadratic equation is 1(consecutive integers) then back to the equation to find out the equation of x²-x is it ok step by step? Im just 17 i need to know more about mathematic.

Ghally Arrahman - 2 years, 4 months ago

I'm not sure why you did the bit after y 2 y x = 0 y^2-y-x = 0 . If y y is an integer, x = ( y 1 ) y x = (y-1)y or n ( n + 1 ) n(n+1) for n = y 1 n=y-1 .

Alex Burgess - 2 years, 4 months ago

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No y y is not just an integer. It has infinitely many real values. For 0 x 200 0 \le x \le 200 , y y already takes on 14 integer values of 0 to 13.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 2 years, 4 months ago

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Yes... but when y = n y = n an integer, x = ( n 1 ) n x = (n-1)n follows directly, for n = 1 , . . . , 14 n = 1, ..., 14

Alex Burgess - 2 years, 4 months ago

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@Alex Burgess OK, you are right.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 2 years, 4 months ago

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