Nested square-root evaluating

Level 1

Take the following function:

f ( x ) = x + x + x + . . . f(x) = \sqrt{x + \sqrt{x+ \sqrt{x+\sqrt{...}}}}

What is the value of this when x = 20?


The answer is 5.

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2 solutions

Eric Hernandez
Jan 14, 2014

Let's replace f(x) with y. By squaring the whole thing, we get y 2 = x + x + x + x + . . . y^2=x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{...}}}} . But x + x + x + . . . \sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{...}}}} is the same as y. This means that x + y = y 2 x+y=y^2 . We can replace x for 20 and get the solution of 5.

Avoid using '!' in your answers. This eliminates the doubt of it being used as a factorial.

Bruce Wayne - 7 years, 4 months ago

I actually don't use factorials in the solution. Sorry for that.

Eric Hernandez - 7 years, 4 months ago
Mahdi Raza
May 7, 2020

\[\begin{align} f(20) &= \color{Blue}{\sqrt{20 + \sqrt{20 + \sqrt{20 + \sqrt{\ldots}}}}} \\ f(20) &= \sqrt{20+ \color{Blue}{f(20)}} \\ f(20)^2 &= 20 + f(20) \\ f(20) &= -4, 5 \quad \quad \quad [f(20) \ne -ve] \\ f(20) &= \boxed{20}

\end{align}\]

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