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Ukrainian National Mathematical Olympiad, 4th Round

Algebra Difficulty 4.9 AIME Prove it Ukraine

Solve the following equation:
∣[x]∣=∣[x]∣, |[x]| = |[x]|,
where [a][a] stands for the greatest integer that does not exceed aa.

Solution

Answer: All non-negative reals and negative integers.

Consider 3 cases.

1) x≥0x \ge 0. Then ∣x∣=x|x| = x, [x]≥0[x] \ge 0, and so ∣[x]∣=[x]=[∣x∣]|[x]| = [x] = [|x|], which means that any non-negative xx is a solution of our equation.

2) xx is a negative integer. Then [x]=x[x] = x, [−x]=−x[-x] = -x, ∣x∣=−x|x| = -x, and so ∣[x]∣=[−x]=(−x=∣x∣=[x]∣)|[x]| = [-x] = (-x = |x| = [x]|), proving that these values of xx are also solutions.

3) xx is negative, but not an integer. In this case ∣x∣=−x|x| = -x, ∣[x]∣<−x|[x]| < -x. On the other hand, [x]<x<0[x] < x < 0, ∣[x]∣>−x|[x]| > -x, and the equality is not satisfied.

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