For a real number xx, its floor x\lfloor x\rfloor is the unique integer satisfying

xx<x+1.\lfloor x\rfloor\le x<\lfloor x\rfloor+1.

Existence follows from the and the ; uniqueness follows because distinct integers differ by at least one.

Examples and properties

2.3=2\lfloor2.3\rfloor=2, whereas 2.3=3\lfloor-2.3\rfloor=-3. For every integer kk, x+k=x+k\lfloor x+k\rfloor=\lfloor x\rfloor+k. The function is constant on each interval [k,k+1)[k,k+1) and jumps at the integers. Holding a selected floor index fixed while differentiating another variable is different from differentiating the floor as a function of that variable.