Number theoryDifficulty 6.3National olympiadFind the answer
Determine the natural numbers that cannot be written as ⌊n+n+21⌋ for any n∈N.
Solution
To determine the natural numbers that cannot be written as ⌊n+n+21⌋ for any n∈N, we will analyze the function f(n)=n+n+21 and its properties.
1. Define the function and its floor value: f(n)=n+n+21 We are interested in the floor value: ⌊f(n)⌋=⌊n+n+21⌋
2. Consider the function at consecutive integers: f(n)=n+n+21 f(n+1)=(n+1)+n+1+21
3. **Calculate the difference between f(n+1) and f(n):** f(n+1)−f(n)=(n+1+n+1+21)−(n+n+21) f(n+1)−f(n)=1+n+1−n
4. Analyze the range of the difference: Since n+1−n is always less than 1 for all n∈N: 1<f(n+1)−f(n)<2
5. Determine the conditions for skipping a number: For a natural number k to be skipped, it must lie between ⌊f(n)⌋ and ⌊f(n+1)⌋ without being equal to either. This happens if: ⌊f(n)⌋+1=⌊f(n+1)⌋ This implies: ⌊n+n+21⌋+1=⌊n+1+n+1+21⌋
6. Identify the skipped numbers: The skipped numbers occur when: {n}<21and{n+1}>21 This is true when n=k2+k for some integer k.
7. Verify the skipped numbers: For n=k2+k: f(k2+k)=k2+k+k2+k+21 f(k2+k+1)=k2+k+1+k2+k+1+21 The difference: f(k2+k+1)−f(k2+k)=1+k2+k+1−k2+k Since k2+k+1−k2+k<1, the floor values differ by 2: ⌊f(k2+k+1)⌋−⌊f(k2+k)⌋=2 The skipped number is: ⌊f(k2+k)⌋+1=(k+1)2
8. Conclusion: All and only perfect squares are skipped.
The final answer is all perfect squares.
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