Theorems, Corollaries, Lemmas,

and Methods of Proof

Richard J. Rossi
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Montana Tech
Butte, MT

WILEY-
INTERSCIENCE
A JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC., PUBLICATION
Contents
Preface xi

Chapter 1 Introduction to Modern Mathematics 1

1.1 Inductive and Deductive Reasoning 2
1.2 Components of Modern Mathematics 4
1.3 Commonly Used Mathematical Notation 10
EXERCISES 15

Chapter 2 An Introduction to Symbolic Logic 17

2.1 Statements and Propositional Functions 17
2.2 Combining Statements 19
2.3 Truth Tables 21
2.4 Conditional Statements 31
2.4.1 Converse and Contrapositive Statements 33
2.4.2 Biconditional Statements 35
2.5 Propositional Functions and Quantifiers 36
EXERCISES 41
Chapter 3 Methods of Proof 45
3.1 Theorems, Corollaries, and Lemmas 45
3.2 The Contrapositive and Converse of a Theorem 50
3.3 Methods of Proof and Proving Theorems 51
3.3.1 Direct Proof 51
3.3.2 Indirect Proof 58
3.4 Specialized Methods of Proof 62
3.4.1 Mathematical Induction 63
3.4.2 Uniqueness Proofs 73
3.4.3 Existence Proofs 75
3.4.4 Proof by Cases 78
3.4.5 Proving Biconditional Theorems 83
3.4.6 Disproving a Conjecture 85
3.5 Some Final Notes on Proving Theorems 87
viii Contents

EXERCISES 90

Chapter 4 Introduction to Number Theory 97

4.1 Binary Operators 97
4.2 Commonly Used Number Systems 107
4.2.1 The Natural Numbers 108
4.2.2 The Whole Numbers 110
4.2.3 The Integers 111
4.2.4 The Rational Numbers 113
4.2.5 The Real Numbers 119
4.3 Elementary Number Theory 126
4.3.1 Odd and Even Numbers 126
4.3.2 Divisibility 131
4.3.3 Prime Numbers 139
4.3.4 Recursively Defined Numbers 146
EXERCISES 156

Chapter 5 The Foundations of Calculus 162

5.1 Functions 162
5.2 Sequences of Real Numbers 165
5.2.1 Convergent Sequences and Limit Theorems 166
5.2.2 Monotone Sequences 184
5.2.3 Cauchy Sequences 196
5.3 Limits of Functions 200
5.4 Continuity 215
5.5 Derivatives 229
EXERCISES 240

Chapter 6 Foundations of Algebra 248

6.1 Introduction to Sets 248
6.1.1 Set Algebra 253
6.1.2 Element Chasing Proofs 255
6.1.3 Unions and Intersections of Finite Collections of Sets 265
Contents ix

6.1.4 Countable and Uncountable Sets 274

6.2 An Introduction to Group Theory 280
6.2.1 Groups 280
6.2.2 Subgroups 294

EXERCISES 303

References 309

Index 311