INDUCTION

by Artificial Intelligence

QUESTION 1
What do you show in the basis step and inductive step when you use ordinary math induction to prove that a property involving an integer n is true for all integers more than or equal to some initial integer?

Review
Basis Step: Prove that P(n) is true. Induction Step: Prove that if P(k) is true (called induction hypothesis), then P(k+1) is true.

Example : Let P(n) be "2n > n whenever n is an integer greater than 4 ". Basis step: P(5) is true since 25 = 32 > 25 =5. Inductive step: Assume that P(n) is true, that is, 2n> n. Then 2n+1 = 2*2n> n + n > n + 4n n+ 2n + 1 = (n+1) since n > 4. Hence P(n + 1) is true.

QUESTION 2
What is the inductive hypothesis in a proof by (ordinary) mathematical induction?

Inductive hypothesis
The predicate P(n) is called the induction hypothesis. You have to proof a statement of the method: If P(x) is true, then P(x + 1) is true.

We have to proof the inductive hypothesis is true before we can proof that P(x + 1) is true.

QUESTION 3
Are you able to use (ordinary) mathematical induction to construct proofs involving formulas, divisibility properties and inequalities?

3.1 involving formula

Prove that; 12 + 2 + 3 ++n = n(n + 1) (2n + 1)/ 6 for all positive integers n. Solution: Statement P(n) is defined by 1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n = n (n + 1) (2n + 1)/ 6 BASIS STEP: Show that P(1) is true. Left side = 1 = 1 Right side = 1 (1 + 1) (2*1 + 1)/ 6 = 1 Both sides are equal hence P(1) is true.

INDUCTION STEP:

Assume P(k) is true 1 + 2 + 3 ++k = k(k + 1) (2k + 1)/ 6 For P(k + 1) ,add (k + 1) to both sides above 1 + 2 + 3 ++k + (k + 1) = k(k + 1) (2k + 1)/ 6 + (k + 1) Set common denominator and factor k + 1 on the right side = (k + 1) [ k(2k + 1) + 6(k + 1)] / 6

Expand k(2k + 1) + 6(k + 1) = (k + 1) [ 2k + 7k + 6] / 6 Now factor 2k + 7k + 6 = (k + 1) [ (k + 2) (2k + 3)] / 6

We have started from the statement P(k) and have shown that 1 + 2 + 3 ++k + (k + 1) = (k + 1) [ (k + 2) (2k + 3) ]/6 Which is the statement P(k + 1).

3.2 involving divisible properties

Problem: For any natural number n , n3 + 2n is divisible by 3.
Solution: BASIS STEP If n = 0, then n3 + 2n = 03 + 2*0 = 0. So it is divisible by 3.

INDUCTION STEP Assume that for an arbitrary natural number n, n3 + 2n is divisible by 3.

subtitute n with n+1 in n3 + 2n

( n + 1 )3 + 2( n + 1 ) = ( n3 + 3n2 + 3n + 1 ) + ( 2n + 2 ) = ( n3 + 2n ) + ( 3n2 + 3n + 3 ) = ( n3 + 2n ) + 3( n2 + n + 1 )

which is divisible by 3, because ( n3 + 2n ) is divisible by 3 by the induction hypothesis.

3.3 involving inequalities

if x 5, then 2 x Basis step :

Let x = 5 2^5 5
32 25 proven!

Inductive step: Substitute x with x + 1;

2x x2 2x+1 (x+1)2
22x (x+1)2 22x 2x2

1 2

Relates 1 and 2 22x 2x2 (x+1)2 2x2 (x+1)2 2x2 x2 + 2x + 1 2x2 x2 + 2x + 1 (x2 2x + 1) divide by x x 2 + (1/x) shown!

END