MCQMediumJEE 2023Functions

JEE Mathematics 2023 Question with Solution

The domain of the function f(x)=1x23x10f(x) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{\lfloor x \rfloor^2 - 3\lfloor x \rfloor - 10}}, where x\lfloor x \rfloor denotes the greatest integer less than or equal to xx, is:

  • A

    (,3][6,)(-\infty, -3] \cup [6, \infty)](streamdown:incomplete-link)

  • B

    (,2)(5,)(-\infty, -2) \cup (5, \infty)

  • C

    (,3](5,)(-\infty, -3] \cup (5, \infty)

  • D

    (,2)[6,)(-\infty, -2) \cup [6, \infty)](streamdown:incomplete-link)

Answer

Correct answer:D

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: f(x)=1x23x10f(x) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{\lfloor x \rfloor^2 - 3\lfloor x \rfloor - 10}}

Find: The domain of f(x)f(x).

Since the square root is in the denominator, the quantity inside the square root must be strictly positive:

x23x10>0\lfloor x \rfloor^2 - 3\lfloor x \rfloor - 10 > 0

Factorizing,

x23x10=(x+2)(x5)\lfloor x \rfloor^2 - 3\lfloor x \rfloor - 10 = (\lfloor x \rfloor + 2)(\lfloor x \rfloor - 5)

So we solve

(x+2)(x5)>0(\lfloor x \rfloor + 2)(\lfloor x \rfloor - 5) > 0

This gives

x<2orx>5\lfloor x \rfloor < -2 \quad \text{or} \quad \lfloor x \rfloor > 5

Because x\lfloor x \rfloor is an integer, this refines to

x3orx6\lfloor x \rfloor \le -3 \quad \text{or} \quad \lfloor x \rfloor \ge 6

Hence the corresponding values of xx are

x(,2)[6,)x \in (-\infty, -2) \cup [6, \infty)

Therefore, the correct option is D.](streamdown:incomplete-link)

Floor Function Interpretation

Given: x\lfloor x \rfloor is the greatest integer less than or equal to xx.

Find: How the inequality in x\lfloor x \rfloor translates into intervals of xx.

From

x3\lfloor x \rfloor \le -3

we get all real numbers whose floor is at most 3-3, that is

x<2x < -2

Similarly, from

x6\lfloor x \rfloor \ge 6

we get

x6x \ge 6

Thus,

x(,2)[6,)x \in (-\infty, -2) \cup [6, \infty)

This matches option D. Note that the solution says "The Correct Option is A", but the actual worked result and final interval clearly correspond to option D.](streamdown:incomplete-link)

Common mistakes

  • Requiring only the denominator to be nonzero is incorrect. Since the denominator is x23x10\sqrt{\lfloor x \rfloor^2 - 3\lfloor x \rfloor - 10}, the expression inside the square root must be strictly positive, not merely nonzero. Use x23x10>0\lfloor x \rfloor^2 - 3\lfloor x \rfloor - 10 > 0.

  • Stopping at x<2\lfloor x \rfloor < -2 or x>5\lfloor x \rfloor > 5 without using the integer nature of the floor function is incomplete. Because x\lfloor x \rfloor is an integer, convert this to x3\lfloor x \rfloor \le -3 or x6\lfloor x \rfloor \ge 6 before finding the interval for xx.

  • Writing the left interval as (,3](-\infty, -3] is wrong for xx. The condition x3\lfloor x \rfloor \le -3 means all real x<2x < -2, not only values up to 3-3. Always translate floor conditions back to real-number intervals carefully.

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