Problem: Find all real solutions to the equation 4x2−40[x]+51=0. Here, if x is a real number, then [x] denotes the greatest integer that is less than or equal to x.
Solution
Let n=[x], where n is an integer and n≤x<n+1.
Then the equation becomes: 4x2−40n+51=0 which gives 4x2=40n−51 x2=10n−12.75 x=±10n−12.75 But n≤x<n+1, so x must be real, i.e., 10n−12.75≥0, or n≥1.275. Since n is integer, n≥2.
Also, x must satisfy n≤x<n+1.
Let us consider x=10n−12.75 first.
We require: n≤10n−12.75<n+1
Let us solve n≤10n−12.75: n2≤10n−12.75 n2−10n+12.75≤0 The roots of n2−10n+12.75=0 are: n=210±100−4×12.75=210±100−51=210±7 So n=217=8.5 or n=23=1.5.
So 1.5≤n≤8.5, i.e., n=2,3,4,5,6,7,8.
Now, for each n in 2 to 8, check if 10n−12.75<n+1:
10n−12.75<n+1
Square both sides: 10n−12.75<(n+1)2=n2+2n+1 0<n2−8n+13.75 The roots of n2−8n+13.75=0 are: n=28±64−55=28±3=5.5,2.5 So n<2.5 or n>5.5
But n≥2, so n=2 or n>5.5, i.e., n=6,7,8.
So possible n are 2,6,7,8.
Now, for each n in 2,6,7,8, x=10n−12.75, and n≤x<n+1.
Check for n=2: 10×2−12.75=20−12.75=7.25 7.25≈2.6926 2≤2.6926<3 is true.
For n=6: 10×6−12.75=60−12.75=47.25 47.25≈6.8777 6≤6.8777<7 is true.
For n=7: 10×7−12.75=70−12.75=57.25 57.25≈7.5697 7≤7.5697<8 is true.
For n=8: 10×8−12.75=80−12.75=67.25 67.25≈8.2006 8≤8.2006<9 is true.
So for n=2,6,7,8, x=10n−12.75 is a solution.
Now, consider x=−10n−12.75.
We require n≤x<n+1, but −10n−12.75<0, so n<0.
But n≥2, so there are no solutions for x=−10n−12.75.
Therefore, the real solutions are: x=10n−12.75,n=2,6,7,8 That is, x1=7.25≈2.6926 x2=47.25≈6.8777 x3=57.25≈7.5697 x4=67.25≈8.2006
So all real solutions are x=7.25, x=47.25, x=57.25, x=67.25.
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