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Worksheet 4.12 Induction

The document explains the method of mathematical induction. It has two steps: 1) Prove the statement is true for the starting point, usually n=1. 2) Assume the statement is true for n, and prove it is true for n+1. The document provides examples of using induction to prove statements like sums and sequences for all natural numbers n. Exercises at the end ask the reader to prove additional statements using induction.

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118 views4 pages

Worksheet 4.12 Induction

The document explains the method of mathematical induction. It has two steps: 1) Prove the statement is true for the starting point, usually n=1. 2) Assume the statement is true for n, and prove it is true for n+1. The document provides examples of using induction to prove statements like sums and sequences for all natural numbers n. Exercises at the end ask the reader to prove additional statements using induction.

Uploaded by

Ameera Chaitram
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Worksheet 4.

12 Induction

Mathematical Induction is a method of proof. We use this method to prove certain propositions
involving positive integers. Mathematical Induction is based on a property of the natural
numbers, N, called the Well Ordering Principle which states that evey nonempty subset of
positive integers has a least element.

There are two steps in the method:

Step 1: Prove the statement is true at the starting point (usually n = 1).

Step 2: Assume the statement is true for n.


Prove the statement is true for n + 1 (using the assumption).

Example 1 : Prove 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + · · · + (2n − 1) = n2 for all n ∈ N

Step 1: [ We want to show this is true at the starting point n = 1. ]

LHS = 1
RHS = 12 = 1

Since LHS=RHS, the statement is true for n = 1.


Step 2: Assume the statement is true for n.
i.e. 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + · · · + (2n − 1) = n2
[ Want to show this is true for n + 1.
i.e. Want to show 1 + 3 + 5 + · · · + (2n + 1) = (n + 1)2 ]

LHS = 1 + 3 + 5 + · · · + (2n − 1) +(2n + 1)


| {z }
2
= n + (2n + 1) (by assumption)
2
= n + 2n + 1
= (n + 1)2
= RHS

So, the statement is true for n + 1. Hence, the statement is true for all n ∈ N, by
induction. 

1
n
X
Example 2 : Prove k 2 = 16 n(n + 1)(2n + 1) for all n ∈ N.
k=1

Step 1: [ We want to show this is true at the starting point n = 1. ]

n
X
LHS = k 2 = 12 = 1
k=1
1
RHS = 6
1(1 + 1) (2(1) + 1) = 1

Since LHS=RHS, the statement is true for n = 1.


Step 2: Assume the statement is true for n.
n
X
i.e. k 2 = 16 n(n + 1)(2n + 1).
k=1

[ Want to show this is true for n + 1.


n+1
X
i.e. Want to show k 2 = 16 (n + 1)(n + 2)(2n + 3) ]
k=1

n+1
X
LHS = k2
k=1
= |1 + 22 +
2 2
{z· · · + n} +(n + 1)
2

= 16 n(n + 1)(2n + 1) + (n + 1)2 (by assumption)


= 61 (n + 1) (n(2n + 1) + 6(n + 1))
= 61 (n + 1) (2n2 + 7n + 6)
= 61 (n + 1)(n + 2)(2n + 3)
= RHS

So, the statement is true for n + 1. Hence, the statement is true for all n ∈ N, by
induction. 

Example 3 : Prove 2n > n2 for n > 5.

Step 1: [ We want to show this is true at the starting point n = 5. ]

LHS = 25 = 32
RHS = 52 = 25

2
Since LHS > RHS, the statement is true for n = 5.
Step 2: Assume the statement is true for n i.e. 2n > n2 .
[ Want to show this is true for n + 1 i.e. want to show 2n+1 > (n + 1)2 ]

LHS = 2n+1
= 2n · 2
> 2n2 (by assumption)
= n2 + n2
> n2 + 2n + 1 (since n2 > 2n + 1 for n ≥ 5)
= (n + 1)2
= RHS

So 2n+1 > (n + 1)2 for n ≥ 5 i.e. the statement is true for n + 1 whenever n ≥ 5.
Hence, the statement is true for all n ≥ 5, by induction. 

Example 4 : Prove that 9n − 2n is divisible by 7 for all n ∈ N

Step 1: [ We want to show this is true at the starting point n = 1. ]


When n = 1, we have 91 − 71 = 7 which is divisible by 7.
The statement is true for n = 1.
Step 2: Assume the statement is true for n.
i.e. Assume 9n − 2n is divisible by 7.
i.e. Assume 9n − 2n = 7m for some m ∈ Z.
[ Want to show this is true for n + 1.
i.e. Want to show 9n+1 − 2n+1 is divisible by 7. ]

9n+1 − 2n+1 = 9 · 9n − 2 · 2n
= 9(7m + 2n ) − 2 · 2n (by assumption)
= 7(9m) + 9 · 2n − 2 · 2n
= 7(9m) + 7 · 2n
= 7(9m + 2n ),

which is divisible by 7. So the statement is true for n + 1. Hence, the statement is


true for all n ∈ N, by induction. 

3
Exercises:

1. Prove the following propositions for all positive integers n.

(a) 1 + 5 + 9 + 13 + · · · + (4n − 3) = 21 n(4n − 2)


n
X
(b) k = 21 n(n + 1)
k=1

(c) 13 + 23 + 33 + · · · + n3 = 14 n2 (n + 1)2
10
(d) 101 + 102 + 103 + · · · + 10n = 9
(10n − 1)
n
X n(n + 1)(n + 2)
(e) r(r + 1) =
r=1
3
n
X 1 n
(f) =
k=1
(3k − 2)(3k − 1) 3n + 1

2. Prove the following by induction.

(a) 2n ≥ 1 + n for n ≥ 1
(b) 3n < (n + 1)! for n ≥ 4

3. Prove that 8n − 3n is divisible by 5 for all n ∈ N.

4. Prove that n3 + 2n is divisible by 3 for all n ∈ N.

5. Prove by induction that, if p is any real number satisfying p > −1, then (1 + p)n ≥ 1 + np
for all n ∈ N.
(−1)n n!
6. Use induction to show that the nth derivative of x−1 is .
xn+1

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