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Homework 3: Honor Code Pledge: I Certify That I Am Aware of The Honor Code in Effect in This Course and

1. This document provides instructions for homework 3 in an unspecified class. The homework is due on Friday, June 2nd at 1:15 PM and includes proving the truth or falsity of several mathematical statements and proving additional statements using previous proofs. 2. Students must determine if statements 1-4 are true or false, proving the true statements and disproving the false statements with counterexamples. Statement 5 must be proven using the Quotient-Remainder Theorem, and statement 6 must be proven using the proof of statement 5. 3. The homework involves proving properties of integers, rational numbers, and the irrationality of the square root of 3.

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53 views2 pages

Homework 3: Honor Code Pledge: I Certify That I Am Aware of The Honor Code in Effect in This Course and

1. This document provides instructions for homework 3 in an unspecified class. The homework is due on Friday, June 2nd at 1:15 PM and includes proving the truth or falsity of several mathematical statements and proving additional statements using previous proofs. 2. Students must determine if statements 1-4 are true or false, proving the true statements and disproving the false statements with counterexamples. Statement 5 must be proven using the Quotient-Remainder Theorem, and statement 6 must be proven using the proof of statement 5. 3. The homework involves proving properties of integers, rational numbers, and the irrationality of the square root of 3.

Uploaded by

Fifi Hurt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Homework 3

Due on Friday, 6/2, 1:15 PM in class

Name______________________________ PID______________________________
Honor Code Pledge: I certify that I am aware of the Honor Code in effect in this course and
observed the Honor Code in the completion of this homework.
Signature___________________________

Determine whether each of the following statements 1-4 is true or false. If it is true, prove it from
the definitions (nonetheless, the proof can be either direct or indirect); if it is false, disprove it
by a counterexample.

(15’) 1. ∀ integers m and n, if 2m + n is odd then m and n are both odd.


Solution:
False. Counterexample: Let m=2 and n=1. 2m+n = 5, which is odd, but m=2 which is not odd.

(15’) 2. For all integers n, n2 + n + 1 is odd.


Solution:
True.
Proof: Let n be a particular but arbitrarily chosen integer. Then, n is either odd or even.
Case 1: n is odd.
In this case, by the definition of odd numbers, n=2k+1 for some integer k. Therefore,
𝑛2 + 𝑛 + 1 = (2𝑘 + 1)2 + (2𝑘 + 1) + 1 = 4𝑘 2 + 6𝑘 + 3 = 2(2𝑘 2 + 3𝑘 + 1) + 1.
Thus, by definition, 𝑛2 + 𝑛 + 1 is odd.
Case 2: n is even.
In this case, by the definition of odd numbers, n=2k for some integer k. Therefore,
𝑛2 + 𝑛 + 1 = (2𝑘)2 + (2𝑘) + 1 = 4𝑘 2 + 2𝑘 + 1 = 2(2𝑘 2 + 𝑘) + 1.
Thus, by definition, 𝑛2 + 𝑛 + 1 is odd.
Combining Case 1 and Case 2, we can conclude that, for all integers n, n2 + n + 1 is odd.

(15’) 3. For all real numbers r, if r3 is irrational then r is irrational.


Solution:
True. (The following is a proof by contradiction, you can also do a proof by contraposition.)
Proof: we prove this statement by contradiction. Suppose the statement is false. That is, suppose
there exists a real number r such that r3 is irrational and r is rational.
Then, by the definition of rational numbers, r = a/b for some integers a and b where b≠0.
By basic algebra, r3= a3/b3.
Because a and b are integers, a3 and b3 are also integers; because b≠0, b3≠0.
Therefore, by definition, r3 is rational. This contradicts the supposition that r3 is irrational. Thus,
the supposition cannot be true, and the original statement is true
1/2
(15’) 4. For all integers a and b, if a | b2 and a ≤ b, then a | b.
Solution:
False. Counterexample: Let a=4 and b=6. Because b2=36 and 4 | 36, a | b2 and a ≤ b is true.
However, 4 does not divide b, i.e, a ∤ b.

Prove the following statement. You can use the Quotient-Remainder Theorem. That is, assume
Theorem 4.4.1 on pp. 180 in the textbook is already proven.
(20’) 5. For all integer n, if 3 | n2 then 3 | n.
(Hint: By contradiction and by division into cases while deriving the contradiction.)
Solution:
Proof: we prove this statement by contradiction. We suppose the statement is false. That is, we
suppose there exists an integer n such that 3 | n2 and 3 ∤ n. By the Quotient-Remainder Theorem,
n=3k for some integer k, or n=3k+1 for some integer k, or n=3k+2 for some integer k.
Because 3 ∤ n, n≠3k for any integer k. Therefore, n=3k+1 for some integer k, or n=3k+2 for some
integer k.
Case 1: n=3k+1 for some integer k.
In this case, n2=(3k+1)2 = 9k2+6k+1 = 3(3k2+2k) + 1.
Therefore, 3 ∤ n2 (because by the Quotient-Remainder Theorem, it is impossible that both
n2=3r for some integer r and n2=3s+1 for some integer s).
Case 2: n=3k+2 for some integer k.
In this case, n2=(3k+2)2 = 9k2+12k+4 = 3(3k2+4k+1) + 1.
Therefore, 3 ∤ n2
Combining Case 1 and Case 2, we can conclude that 3 ∤ n2. However, we supposed 3 | n2. Therefore,
3 ∤ n2 and 3 | n2, which is a contradiction. Thus, the supposition cannot be true, and the original
statement is true.

Prove the following statement. You can use statement 5 above. That is, assume you have correctly
proven the statement above.
(20’) 6. √3 is irrational.
Solution:
Proof: we prove this statement by contradiction. We suppose the statement is false. That is, we
suppose √3 is rational. By the definition of rational numbers, √3 = 𝑎/𝑏 for some integers a, b
where a, b have no common factor (by dividing a and b by any common factors if necessary).
Squaring both sides of √3 = 𝑎/𝑏, we have 3 = 𝑎2 /𝑏 2, i.e., 3𝑏 2 = 𝑎2 . Therefore, 3 | 𝑎2 .
By statement 5 above, we have 3 | a. (*)
Therefore, a = 3k for some integer k. Substituting in the equation 3𝑏 2 = 𝑎2 , we have 3𝑏 2 = 9𝑘 2 ,
which is 𝑏 2 = 3𝑘 2. Therefore, 3 | 𝑏 2 .
By statement 5 above, we have 3 | b. (**)
By (*) and (**), we have 3 | a and 3 | b. That is, a and b have a common factor of 3. This contradicts
the supposition that a and b have no common factor. Thus, the supposition cannot be true, and the
original statement is true.
2/2

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