Basic properties of the floor function |_ x _|: Problem A: (1) |_x_| + |_y_| <= |_x + y_| <= |_x_| + |_y_| + 1 (2) |_2x_| + |_2y_| >= |_x + y_| + |_x_| + |_y_| Problem B: [Knu68, 1.2.4 Exc 34][GKP88, 3.2 (3.10)] Let f:A->R be a strictly increasing continuous function in the reel numbers. Where A is a subset of R with the property x in A => |_x_| in A and |¯x¯| in A. Then the following conditions are equivalent (a) f(x) in Z => x in Z (b) |_f(x)_| = |_f(|_x_|)_| (c) |¯f(x)¯| = |¯f(|¯x¯|)¯| Solution A: _ _ _ _ (1) |_x_| + |_y_| = |_|_x_| + y_| <= |_x + y_| <= |_| x | + y_| = | x | + |_y_| (2) We only need to show the case 0<=x<1, 0<=y<1. Let x >= y then 2x >= x+y. Therefore |_2x_| >= |_x + y_|. As |_x_| = |_y_| = 0 we derive |_2x_| + |_2y_| >= |_2x_| >= |_x + y_| = |_x + y_| + |_x_| + |_y_|. References: Eng98: Arthur Engel; Problem-solving strategies, Problem Books in Mathematics. New York, NY: Springer. x, 403 p. (1998) ISBN 0-387-98219-1/hbk Zbl 887.00002 Chap 14.6 Integer Function GKP88: Ronald L. Graham, Donald E. Knuth, Oren Pataschnik; Concrete Mathematics, Addison Wessley, Reading (1994) 2nd Ed. Chap 3: Integer Functions Sect 3.1: Floors and Ceilings Sect 3.2: Floor/Ceiling Applications Sect 3.3: Floor/Ceiling Recurrences Sect 3.4: Mod: the Binary Operation Sect 3.5: Floor/Ceiling Sums Ive62: K. E. Iverson, A programming language, Wiley, 1962. (invents the notation |_ _|) Knu68: Donald E. Knuth; The Art of Computer Programming Vol. 1, Fundamental Algorithms, Addison Wessley, Reading (1973) 2nd Ed. Chapter 1.2.4: Integer Functions and Elementary Number Theory Excercise 1.3.2.16-17 fixed precision harmonic series NiZ60: Ivan Niven, Herbert S. Zuckerman; An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers, John Wiley, New York (1972) 3rd edition. (1st edition (1960)) (german: Einf\"uhrung ind die Zahlentheorie I, BI 46 (1976)) Chap 4: Functions in Number Theory Sect 4.1: The Function [x] -- http://www.mathematik.uni-bielefeld.de/~sillke/ mailto:Torsten.Sillke@uni-bielefeld.de