Monday, 12 September 2016

A simple mathematical induction proof.



Let n be a natural number, and let f:{iN:1in}N be a function. Show that there exists a natural number M such that f(i)M for 1in



We prove this by induction on n, when n = 1, f(i)M for 1i1. since if M := 1, the above holds.




now suppose that we have already proven the proposition for some n1, we have to prove it for n++,
by the induction hypothesis, we know that there exists a natural number M such that f(i)M for 1in, in particular there must exist a natural number M+1, in which case f(i)M+1 for 1in++



Could someone shed some light on whether i have logically proved this?


Answer



You haven't proved it because neither your base-case argument nor your induction step argument is correct.



For example, when n=1, suppose f is the function that sends 1 to 5. You claim that if M=1 then f(i)M when i=1. But f(1)=5>1=M. What do you need to do to fix this?




As for the induction step, when n=2, f might be the function that sends 1 to 1 and 2 to 1. So if we choose M=1, then f(i)M for each i. But now,, if g is the function that sends 1 to 1, 2 to 1 and 3 to 5, then it is not the case that f(i)M+1 for each i. Indeed f(3)=5>2=M+1. What do you need to do to fix this?


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