# Solve equations using the $\max$ function

How do you solve equations that involve the $\max$ function? For example: $$\max(8-x, 0) + \max(272-x, 0) + \max(-100-x, 0) = 180$$

In this case, I can work out in my head that $x = 92.$ But what is the general procedure to use when the number of $\max$ terms are arbitrary? Thanks for the help, here is a Python solution for the problem if anyone is interested.

def solve_max(y, a):
y = sorted(y)
for idx, y1 in enumerate(y):
y_left = y[idx:]
y_sum = sum(y_left)
x = (y_sum - a) / len(y_left)
if x <= y1:
return x
print solve_max([8, 272, -100], 180)

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Check each of the possible cases. In your equations the "critical" points (i. e. the points where one of the max's switches) are $8$, $272$ and $-100$. For $x \le -100$ your equation reads $8-x + 272 - x + (-100-x) = 180 \iff 180 - 3x = 180$ which doesn't have a solution in $(-\infty, -100]$.

For $-100 \le x \le 8$, we have $8-x + 272 - x = 180 \iff 280 - 2x = 180$ and the only solution $50\not\in [-100, 8]$.

For $8 \le x \le 272$ we have $272-x = 180 \iff x = 92$ so here we have a solution.

And finally for $x \ge 272$ the equation reads $0 = 180$ so no more solutions.

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Hint: You can think of $max(8-x,0)$ as a piecewise defined function. $$max(8-x,0) = \begin{cases} 0 \text{ if  x\geq 8} &\\ 8-x \text{ if x \lt 8} \end{cases}$$ Apply this idea to other $max$ functions as well.

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In different domains, the max function will yield different values (of course!). Therefore, you can turn the max function into a piecewise function over the different domains, and then compute the zeros of a (potentially extensive) piecewise function.

For instance, you can write $\max(8-x,0)$ as $$f(x) = \left\{\begin{array}{cc} 0, & x \ge 8, \\ 8-x, & x < 8. \end{array}\right.$$

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Beaten to the punch! – Emily May 15 '12 at 14:33