Analyzing the Setup
When you see a function like f(x)=∣5x−7∣+[x2+2x] on the interval [45,2], your first instinct might be to panic. The secret is to stop looking at the function as a single entity and start seeing it as a team of two distinct players: the modulus function and the greatest integer function.
First, consider the quadratic expression inside the greatest integer bracket: g(x)=x2+2x. If we complete the square, we get:
On our interval [1.25,2], this function is strictly increasing. It starts at g(1.25)=4.0625 and climbs steadily to g(2)=8. This tells us that the greatest integer part [x2+2x] is a predictable staircase that steps through the integers 4,5,6,7, and 8 as x moves from 1.25 to 2.
Finding the Minimum
Now, let us look at the second player: the modulus function h(x)=∣5x−7∣. The most critical point for any modulus function is where it hits zero, as this is its absolute minimum. Setting 5x−7=0 gives us x=1.4.
Crucially, 1.4 lies right inside our interval [1.25,2]. To find the minimum value of the entire function f(x), we test this critical point:
f(1.4)=∣5(1.4)−7∣+[1.42+2(1.4)]
f(1.4)=0+[1.96+2.8]=[4.76]=4
Since the modulus cannot be negative and the greatest integer part never drops below 4 in this interval, 4 is our absolute minimum.
Finding the Maximum
As we move from x=1.4 toward x=2, notice the behavior of both components. The modulus function is climbing up the right side of its 'V' shape, and the greatest integer function is stepping upward.
Since both components are increasing, their sum must also be increasing. Therefore, the maximum value must occur at the very end of our interval, at x=2:
f(2)=∣5(2)−7∣+[22+2(2)]
f(2)=∣10−7∣+[4+4]=3+8=11
Final Calculation
We have found our two extremes: the minimum is 4 and the maximum is 11. The question asks for the sum of these values:
By dividing the problem into its constituent parts and analyzing their behavior, we have tamed the beast. The final answer is 15.