Sunday, 14 September 2014

discrete mathematics - Proof by induction -inequality



Prove that 1+12+13+....+1/n<2n for n1



Here's my attempt:




Base case:
P(1):1121=12 (Base case true)



Assume n=k for k1 such that 1+12+13+....+1k<2k



INDUCTION HYPOTHESIS: 1+12+13+....+1k<2k



Now for P(k+1), we must show that 1+12+13+....+1k+1 <2k+1







1+12+13+....+1k+1k+1 <2k+1



By our induction hypothesis: 2k+1k+1<2k+1



Now, I add 2k to the right side.
2k+1k+1<2k+1+2k (the inequality is still true)



Then, substract 2k from both sides,




Hence, 1k+1<2k+1



QED



Also looking forward to see other ways to complete this induction! Thanks!


Answer



The problem within your proof is that you assume 1+12+13+....+1k+1k+1<2k+1 at the beginning but this is not allowed; you are trying to prove it but you assume it at first.



Another problem is that, when you apply the induction hypothesis, you are saying $A


To prove it you need to show 1k+1<2k+12k



which comes from



1k+1=2(k+1)+(k+1)<2k+1+k=2k+12k



Hence



1+12+13+....+1k+1k+1<2k+1k+1<2k+1



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