Fractional Integration

Calculus Level 4

0 1 ( { 2 x } 1 ) ( { 3 x } 1 ) d x \int_0^1 ( \{ 2x \} - 1)(\{ 3x \} - 1) \, dx

If the value of the integral above equals A B \dfrac AB , where A A and B B are coprime positive integers, find A + B A+B .

Notation : { } \{ \cdot \} denotes the fractional part function .


The answer is 91.

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2 solutions

Gabe Smith
Feb 14, 2016

Note that since x 0 , x\ge 0, the integrand is the same as ( 1 { 2 x } ) ( 1 { 3 x } ) . (1-\{2x\})(1-\{3x\}). Thinking of this as 1 u 1-u vs. u , u, it's all the same since it doesn't matter if we're working "up" or "down" from the fractional parts going from 0 to 1. (This is admittedly handwave-y, and it would be great for someone to post a rigorous proof of this.) Thus, our final answer will be 0 1 { 2 x } { 3 x } d x . \int_0^1 \{2x\}\{3x\}\,dx.

There are a few ways to handle this integral. The most straightforward is to just break it up into the intervals where "things change"; e.g., where 2 x 2x or 3 x 3x become 1 , 2. \ge 1, \ge 2. This gives 19 72 , \frac{19}{72}, so the answer is A + B = 19 + 72 = 91. A+B = 19 + 72 = 91.

Split the integral into 0 to 1/3, 1/3 to 1/2, 1/2 to 2/3, 2/3 to 1.

Rindell Mabunga - 5 years, 3 months ago

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Can you explain why we need to divide this integral into only these intervals?

Akshay Yadav - 5 years, 3 months ago

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Sure, from 0 to 1/3, the fractional part function actually makes no difference, so you can just take the integral of (2x - 1)(3x - 1)dx

From 1/3 to 1/2, {2x} -1 still equals 2x -1, but now {3x} -1 now equals 3x -2

Same logic continues: From 1/2 to 2/3: we get (2x -2)(3x -2)dx & from 2/3 to 1 you have (2x -2)(3x -3)dx

Now you just have 4 simple definite integrals, (small shortcut, since the 2x^3 is common to all the ranges you can do that one term from zero to one).

Not so bad once you see the path.

William Whichello - 5 years, 3 months ago
Chew-Seong Cheong
May 18, 2017

I = 0 1 ( { 2 x } 1 ) ( { 3 x } 1 ) d x = 0 1 ( 2 x 2 x 1 ) ( 3 x 3 x 1 ) d x = 0 1 3 ( 2 x 1 ) ( 3 x 1 ) d x + 1 3 1 2 ( 2 x 1 ) ( 3 x 2 ) d x + 1 2 2 3 ( 2 x 2 ) ( 3 x 2 ) d x + 2 3 1 ( 2 x 2 ) ( 3 x 3 ) d x = 0 1 3 ( 6 x 2 5 x + 1 ) d x + 1 3 1 2 ( 6 x 2 7 x + 2 ) d x + 1 2 2 3 ( 6 x 2 10 x + 4 ) d x + 2 3 1 ( 6 x 2 12 x + 6 ) d x = 2 x 3 5 2 x 2 + x 0 1 3 + 2 x 3 7 2 x 2 + 2 x 1 3 1 2 + 2 x 3 5 x 2 + 4 x 1 2 2 3 + 2 x 3 6 x 2 + 6 x 2 3 1 = 2 x 3 0 1 6 ( 1 ) + ( 6 5 ) ( 2 3 ) 2 + ( 5 7 2 ) ( 1 2 ) 2 + ( 7 2 5 2 ) ( 1 3 ) 2 + 6 ( 1 ) ( 6 4 ) ( 2 3 ) ( 4 2 ) ( 1 2 ) ( 2 1 ) ( 1 3 ) = 2 6 + 4 9 + 3 8 + 1 9 + 6 4 3 1 1 3 = 19 72 \begin{aligned} I & = \int_0^1 (\{2x\}-1)(\{3x\}-1)\ dx \\ & = \int_0^1 (2x-\lfloor 2x \rfloor -1)(3x-\lfloor 3x \rfloor -1)\ dx \\ & = \int_0^\frac 13 (2x-1)(3x-1)\ dx + \int_\frac 13^\frac 12 (2x-1)(3x-2)\ dx + \int_\frac 12^\frac 23 (2x-2)(3x-2)\ dx + \int_\frac 23^1 (2x-2)(3x-3)\ dx \\ & = \int_0^\frac 13 \left(6x^2-5x+1\right)\ dx + \int_\frac 13^\frac 12 \left(6x^2-7x+2\right)\ dx + \int_\frac 12^\frac 23 \left(6x^2-10x+4\right)\ dx + \int_\frac 23^1 \left(6x^2-12x+6\right)\ dx \\ & = 2x^3-\frac 52x^2+x \ \bigg|_0^\frac 13 + 2x^3-\frac 72x^2+2x \ \bigg|_\frac 13^\frac 12 + 2x^3-5x^2+4x \ \bigg|_\frac 12^\frac 23 + 2x^3-6x^2+6x \ \bigg|_\frac 23^1 \\ & = \small 2x^3 \ \bigg|_0^1 - 6 (1) + (6-5)\left(\frac 23\right)^2 + \left(5-\frac 72\right)\left(\frac 12\right)^2 + \left(\frac 72-\frac 52\right)\left(\frac 13\right)^2 + 6(1) - (6-4)\left(\frac 23\right) - \left(4-2\right)\left(\frac 12\right) - \left(2-1\right)\left(\frac 13\right) \\ & = 2 - 6 + \frac 49 + \frac 38 + \frac 19 + 6 - \frac 43 - 1 - \frac 13 \\ & = \frac {19}{72} \end{aligned}

A + B = 19 + 72 = 91 \implies A+B = 19+72 = \boxed{91}

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