What is the positive integer values of n such that sinx=x/nsinx=xn has 69 positive solutions?

1 Answer
Oct 13, 2016

n in {216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221}n{216,217,218,219,220,221}

Explanation:

Let's look at what the graphs of sin(x)sin(x) and x/nxn might look like for a sample nn, say n=10n=10:

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Notice that as long as x/n<1xn<1, two solutions (intersections) are generated on each interval [2kpi, (2k+1)pi], k in ZZ^+, that is, on each positive "hump" for sin(x). As we are only looking for positive solutions, we can disregard x=0, meaning the first hump only gives a single solution.

With the above observations, we can tell that if the line x/n passes through k humps, then we generate 2k-1 positive solutions. As we are looking for 69 positive solutions, solving for k shows that we need x/n to pass through 35 humps.

Before continuing, note that sin(x)=1 has no integral solutions, meaning sin(x)=1 implies x/n!=1. This allows us to know that the line x/n either passes under sin(x) at the peak of a hump, thus generating two solutions, or passes over it, generating none.

If we look at the intervals on which sin(x) is positive, we find them to be of the form [0, pi], [2pi, 3pi], [4pi, 5pi], .... The 35^"th" interval will thus be [68pi, 69pi]. To get exactly 69 solutions, then, we must have x/n < 1 at the midpoint of [68pi, 69pi] and x/n > 1 at the midpoint of [70pi, 71pi].

Put in terms of inequalities, this gives us

((137pi)/2)/n < 1 < ((141pi)/2)/n

=> (137pi)/2 < n < (141pi)/2

As (137pi)/2 ~~ 215.2 and (141pi)/2 ~~221.5, we get our solution set as

n in {216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221}