Least $x$ Such That $\lfloor x^2\rfloor -\lfloor x\rfloor ^2=10$

algebra-precalculusceiling-and-floor-functions

A friend recently texted me the following:

Compute the least $x$ such that $\lfloor x^2\rfloor -\lfloor x\rfloor ^2=10$.

Is there a way to do what my friend is asking analytically? I graphed it on Desmos, and got $x\approx 5.91608$. I realized that this should be (and indeed appears to be) $\sqrt{35}$, as then we have $35-25=10$. To show this, I tried my typical way of solving floor problems, which is to break up $x=I+F$, where $I=\lfloor x\rfloor$ and $F=x-\lfloor x\rfloor$. After simplifications, I got $\lfloor F(2I+F)\rfloor =10$. But then upon any further manipulation, I get back the original equation. Is there some further manipulation I am not aware of that lets me solve this analytically? Or am I on the wrong track entirely? Should I perhaps try to prove that $\sqrt{35}$ is the least value of $x$ satisfying the above condition? Sorry if I’m missing something obvious.

Best Answer

I hid most of the steps in "spoiler" sections so you can mouse over them to see part of the answer without showing everything.

We can rule out $x < 0,$ since

if $x < 0$ then $\lfloor x\rfloor \leq x < 0$ and therefore $\lfloor x\rfloor^2 \geq x^2 \geq \lfloor x^2\rfloor.$

For $x > 0,$ we have $x < \lfloor x+1\rfloor,$ from which $x^2 < \lfloor x+1\rfloor^2$ and therefore $\lfloor x^2\rfloor < \lfloor x+1\rfloor^2.$ It follows that

$$\lfloor x^2\rfloor - \lfloor x\rfloor^2 < \lfloor x+1\rfloor^2 - \lfloor x\rfloor^2 = 2\lfloor x\rfloor + 1.$$

So

you can have $\lfloor x^2\rfloor - \lfloor x\rfloor^2 \geq 10$ only if $2\lfloor x\rfloor + 1 > 10,$ which implies $\lfloor x\rfloor > 4.5,$ which implies $\lfloor x\rfloor\geq 5.$

So now you just need to prove that

$\lfloor x^2\rfloor - \lfloor x\rfloor^2 < 10$ for $5 \leq x < \sqrt{35}.$

Related Question