[Math] The set of real values of $x$ satisfying the equation $\left[\frac{3}{x}\right]+\left[\frac{4}{x}\right]=5$

algebra-precalculussystems of equations

The set of real values of $x$ satisfying the equation $\left[\frac{3}{x}\right]+\left[\frac{4}{x}\right]=5$,(where $[]$ denotes the greatest integer function) belongs to the interval $(a,\frac{b}{c}]$,where $a,b,c\in N$ and $\frac{b}{c}$is in its lowest form.Find the value of $a+b+c+abc$.

I tried to solve this question.Let $\left[\frac{3}{x}\right]=t$,therefore $\left[\frac{4}{x}\right]=5-t$.

$t\leq \frac{3}{x}<t+1$……(i) and $5-t\leq \frac{4}{x}<6-t$…..(ii)

Add (i) and (ii),we get $5\leq\frac{3}{x}+\frac{4}{x}<7$

$5\leq\frac{7}{x}<7$

Then i solved $5\leq\frac{7}{x}$ and $\frac{7}{x}<7$
and took the intersection of the two solution sets and got $x\in (1,\frac{7}{5}]$,so my $a+b+c+abc=48$ but the answer is given to be 20.What is wrong in my method.Please help me.

Best Answer

Here are some hints.

Note that as $x$ increases, the sum can get no larger - it is decreasing but not strictly so, because it is sometimes constant. Also with $x=1$ the sum is equal to $7$ so we must have $x \gt 1$ for a sum as low as $5$.

Now if $x\gt 1$ we have immediately that $\left[\frac{3}{x}\right]+\left[\frac{4}{x}\right]\le 2+3=5$ so we must have equality with $\left[\frac{3}{x}\right]=2$ and $\left[\frac{4}{x}\right]=3$

You should be able to complete things from there.