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Algebra Difficulty 5.4 AIME, harder Find the answer

Example 3 Solve the equation
x22x3=12[x12] x^{2}-2 x-3=12 \cdot\left[\frac{x-1}{2}\right] \text {. }
(1990, Sichuan Province Junior High School Mathematics Competition)

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

Solution: The original equation can be rewritten as
(x12)21=3[x12] \left(\frac{x-1}{2}\right)^{2}-1=3 \cdot\left[\frac{x-1}{2}\right] \text {. }

From [x12]\left[\frac{x-1}{2}\right] being an integer and equation (1), we know that (x12)2\left(\frac{x-1}{2}\right)^{2} is also an integer.
Let [x12]=m\left[\frac{x-1}{2}\right]=m, then
x12=m+r,0r<1 \frac{x-1}{2}=m+r, 0 \leqslant r<1 \text {. }

From equation (1), we know that mm is a non-negative integer, and from (x12)2\left(\frac{x-1}{2}\right)^{2} being an integer and
(x12)2=m2+2mr+r2 \left(\frac{x-1}{2}\right)^{2}=m^{2}+2 m r+r^{2}

we know that 2mr+r22 m r+r^{2} is also an integer.
Let 2mr+r2=n2 m r+r^{2}=n, then nn is a non-negative integer.
Substituting equation (2) into equation (1) yields
m23m+n1=0m^{2}-3 m+n-1=0.
m=3±94(n1)2=3±134n2 m=\frac{3 \pm \sqrt{9-4(n-1)}}{2}=\frac{3 \pm \sqrt{13-4 n}}{2} \text {. }

From 134n013-4 n \geqslant 0 we know
0n134,n=0,1,2,30 \leqslant n \leqslant \frac{13}{4}, n=0,1,2,3.
When n=0,2n=0,2, mm is not an integer;
When n=1n=1, m=0m=0 or 3;
When n=3n=3, m=1m=1 or 2.
(i) When m=0,n=1m=0, n=1, r2=1r^{2}=1.

This contradicts 0r<10 \leqslant r<1.
(ii) When m=1,n=3m=1, n=3, we have r2+2r3=0,r=1r^{2}+2 r-3=0, r=1 or -3.

This contradicts 0r<10 \leqslant r<1.
(iii) When m=2,n=3m=2, n=3, we have
r2+4r3=0 r^{2}+4 r-3=0 \text {. }

Solving, we get r=2+7r=-2+\sqrt{7}.
x12=m+r=2+(2+7)=7.x=1+27. \begin{array}{l} \therefore \frac{x-1}{2}=m+r=2+(-2+\sqrt{7})=\sqrt{7} . \\ x=1+2 \sqrt{7} . \end{array}
(iv) When m=3,n=1m=3, n=1, we have
r2+6r1=0 r^{2}+6 r-1=0 \text {. }

Solving, we get r=3+10r=-3+\sqrt{10}.
Thus, x12=3+(3+10)=10\frac{x-1}{2}=3+(-3+\sqrt{10})=\sqrt{10}.
x=1+210 x=1+2 \sqrt{10} \text {. }

Therefore, the solutions to the original equation are
x=1+27 or x=1+210 x=1+2 \sqrt{7} \text { or } x=1+2 \sqrt{10} \text {. }

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.