Equation involving floor function without real solutions

algebra-precalculusceiling-and-floor-functionscontest-mathreal-analysis

Prove that equation
$$\lfloor x\rfloor\;+\;\lfloor 2x\rfloor\;+\;\lfloor 4x\rfloor\;+\;\lfloor16x\rfloor\;+\;\lfloor32x\rfloor\;=12345$$
has no real solutions.

Canada,1981


Edit:

My thoughts from $5$ months ago (from the comment) that should've been included in the post:

I first checked whether there are integers, then I tried to see how the decimal part changes when multiplying, because the change might be more than multiple of the previous term… and I also included the coefficients.

Best Answer

Too long for a comment.

I assume you are not allowed access to a calculator. From Griboullis's hint, you know that if $x$ exists, $224 ≤ x ≤ 225$, so the only thing to do is to find the fractional part, which is given by $\lfloor x\rfloor\;+\;\lfloor 2x\rfloor\;+\;\lfloor 4x\rfloor\;+\;\lfloor16x\rfloor\;+\;\lfloor32x\rfloor\;=25$.

Then prove that the function jumps by one unit whenever $x$ is only a multiple of $\frac{1}{32}$, by two units whenever $x$ is only a multiple of $\frac{1}{16}$, and you can work out for the rest up to a jump of four units whenever $x$ is a multiple of $\frac{1}{2}$. Adding up all these jumps methodically should lead you to the point $(0.499, 23)$ (in the simplified question), at which point the next jump gives $(0.5, 27)$. Transforming the question back to the original question will complete the proof

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