x x and the biggest integer x \leq x

Algebra Level 5

2016 x = 2017 x \large {2016x} ={2017 \lfloor x \rfloor}

How many real numbers x x that satisfy the equation above?


Notation: \lfloor \cdot \rfloor denotes the floor function .


The answer is 2016.

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1 solution

Chew-Seong Cheong
May 17, 2017

2016 x = 2017 x Note that x = x + { x } 2016 ( x + { x } ) = 2017 x where { x } is the fractional part of x 2016 { x } = x \begin{aligned} 2016x & = 2017\lfloor x \rfloor & \small \color{#3D99F6} \text{Note that }x = \lfloor x \rfloor + \{x\} \\ 2016(\lfloor x \rfloor + \{x\}) & = 2017\lfloor x \rfloor & \small \color{#3D99F6} \text{where }\{x\} \text{ is the fractional part of }x \\ \implies 2016 \{x\} & = \lfloor x \rfloor \end{aligned}

Note that the L H S = 2016 { x } > 0 LHS = 2016 \{x\} > 0 for all x x , while the R H S = x < 0 RHS = \lfloor x \rfloor < 0 for x < 0 x < 0 . Therefore, there is no solution for x < 0 x <0 .

Note also that R H S = x RHS = \lfloor x \rfloor is integral and for L H S = 2016 { x } LHS = 2016 \{x\} to be integral the solution is { x } = k 2016 \{x\} = \dfrac k{2016} , where k = 0 , 1 , 2...2015 k = 0, 1, 2 ... 2015 . Therefore, there are 2016 \boxed{2016} solutions.


Note: The solution is x = x + x 2016 x = \lfloor x \rfloor + \dfrac {\lfloor x \rfloor}{2016} for x [ 0 , 2015 ] \lfloor x \rfloor \in [0, 2015] .

The question asks how many 'real' solutions. In which case it's infinite? You should ask how many 'rational' solutions exist.

Robert Hill - 4 years ago

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The number of real solutions is also 2016. I don't understand what bugs you.

Shourya Pandey - 4 years ago

Okay... Please, give me only one solution in 'irrational number' if you think that the solution isn't only in 'rational number'!

SKYE RZYM - 4 years ago

I've checked my question and I'm sure that the question has finite solutions.

SKYE RZYM - 4 years ago

Answer is i n f i n i t y infinity if you don't specify your question.

Rajdeep Ghosh - 4 years ago

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Okay.. Please, show me that your statement is true!

SKYE RZYM - 4 years ago

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Flawed question.

Sahil Silare - 4 years ago

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@Sahil Silare Look at the reply by Steven Yuan above to my comments. The question is okay.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 4 years ago

I don't think there is any irrational solution. If you are unhappy with it you can report the problem. Click \cdots at the right-hand bottom corner and select "Report Problem". A staff will get to you.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 4 years ago

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In fact, there can never be any irrational solutions to the equation because if there were, the left hand side would be irrational but the right hand side would be an integer. An irrational number never equals an integer, so there aren't any irrational solutions.

Steven Yuan - 4 years ago

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