Recurring dreams with floor function?

f ( n ) = 2 n + 3 2 2 2 n + 1 2 \Large f(n)= \left \lfloor 2^{n+\frac{3}{2}} \right \rfloor - 2 \left \lfloor 2^{n+\frac{1}{2}} \right \rfloor

The above function is defined on the natural numbers. Which of the following describes the periodicity of the function?

  • A. Eventually periodic with period in [ 1 , 1 0 3 ) [1,10^3) .
  • B. Eventually periodic with period in [ 1 0 3 , 1 0 6 ) [10^3,10^6) .
  • C. Eventually periodic with period in [ 1 0 6 , ) [10^6,\infty) .
  • D. Not eventually periodic.

If you liked this problem, you might want to see also a related problem. .
A B D C

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2 solutions

Arturo Presa
Sep 30, 2015

In general, we use base 10 to represent any real number. For example 652.333333... = 6 1 0 2 + 5 1 0 1 + 2 + 3 10 + 3 1 0 2 + 3 1 0 3 + . . . . = 652 1 3 . 652.333333...=6*10^{2}+5*10^{1}+2+\frac{3}{10}+\frac{3}{10^{2}}+\frac{3}{10^{3}}+....=652\frac{1}{3}. In a similar way any number can be represented in base 2 by a series in the following way: if x is any real number then there is sequence a 0 , a 1 , a 2 , a 3 , . . . , a n , . . . , a_{0}, a_{1}, a_{2}, a_{3}, ..., a_{n}, ..., such that any a i = 0 a_{i}= 0 or 1 1 and x = k = 0 a k 2 m k x=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}a_{k}*2^{m-k} for a certain integer m m that depends on x x . In particular, the number x = 2 1 2 = 2 x=2^{\frac{1}{2}}=\sqrt{2} can be represented by a series x = k = 0 b k 2 k . x=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}b_{k}*2^{-k}. Now it is easy to see that for any integer n 0 n\geq 0 f ( n ) = b n + 1 f(n)=b_{n+1} . So if f ( n ) f(n) were periodic, it would be easy to prove, using this representation, that 2 \sqrt{2} would be a rational number that would be a contradiction. Therefore the answer is non-periodic.

Another thought-provoking problem! Thank you! I did it the same way.

Otto Bretscher - 5 years, 8 months ago

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Thank you, Otto. I got this idea last night, and wrote it down before my first class in the morning, so I have had no time to check and improve my solution yet. If you notice any detail or thing that I have to correct, feel free to let me know. I plan to explain the last part in more detail. Again, thank you for finding the problem interesting.

Arturo Presa - 5 years, 8 months ago

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I'm teaching too... Vector Calculus is up next. The solution looked very good at first glance.... just the right amount of detail

Otto Bretscher - 5 years, 8 months ago

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@Otto Bretscher Thank you, Otto, for your feedback about the solution!

Arturo Presa - 5 years, 8 months ago

WOW. I love this question!! Can you request more professors to come to Brilliant, you guys post super awesome questions.

Pi Han Goh - 5 years, 8 months ago

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Thank you @Pi Han Goh ! I am doing my best to try to make brilliant more popular among my colleagues. I see many more people involved in this activity in the future. Brilliant is a wonderful thing to attract people from all over the world with a passion for problem solving!

Arturo Presa - 5 years, 8 months ago
Lu Chee Ket
Nov 10, 2015

f (n) can be simplified as Determine( F r a c ( 2 × 2 n ) Frac(\sqrt2 \times 2^n) ) of 1 when fractional part of 2 × 2 n \sqrt2 \times 2^n greater than or equals to 0.5, OR 0 when less than 0.5!!!

2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2... \sqrt2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2... is a change of 1.4142135623730950488016887242097+ into

2.8284271247461900976033774484194+ for 1

5.6568542494923801952067548968388+ for 1

11.313708498984760390413509793678+ for 0

etc.

Since 2 \sqrt2 is an irrational number, a dragged multiples being pulled from far decimals and also change of times simultaneously shall not be regular, such that not predictable and it is also not zero but of infinitely endless terms. Therefore, the simplified equivalent of seeing infinite decimals of irrational number 2 \sqrt2 implies for an answer of Not eventually periodic.

All these conclusions are drawn from observations and thinking. f (n) is not eventually periodic and it also remained as either 1 or 0 only when n tends to \infty .

The question can change 1.5 and 0.5 into 1.1 and 0.1 and etc. for consideration onto other cases.

http://apod.nasa.gov/htmltest/gifcity/sqrt2.1mil

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