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Induction Questions Sols

This document contains solutions to three mathematical induction problems: 1) Using induction to prove an equation involving sums and powers of r. 2) Conjecturing a pattern for the derivatives of f(x)=1/(1-x) and proving the pattern using induction. 3) Proving using induction that (1+x)^n ≥ 1 + nx for integers n ≥ 1 and x > -1.

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Konstantinos Alexiou
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19 views3 pages

Induction Questions Sols

This document contains solutions to three mathematical induction problems: 1) Using induction to prove an equation involving sums and powers of r. 2) Conjecturing a pattern for the derivatives of f(x)=1/(1-x) and proving the pattern using induction. 3) Proving using induction that (1+x)^n ≥ 1 + nx for integers n ≥ 1 and x > -1.

Uploaded by

Konstantinos Alexiou
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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Transition to Mathematical Proofs

Chapter 6 - Induction Assignment Solutions


Question 1. Let r 6= 1 be a real number. Use mathematical induction to show
that
n
X
1 rn+1
rj =
.
1r
j=0
Solution 1. We will use mathematical induction to show that the statement
A(n) given by
n
X
1 rn+1
rj =
1r
j=0
is true for all integers n 0.
First, we verify that the base case A(0) is true. A(0) is the statement that
0
X

rj =

j=0

1 r0+1
.
1r

The left-hand side of the above equation is equivalent to r0 = 1 and the right1r
hand side is equal to
= 1. Thus, since both sides of the equation are equal
1r
to 1, the equation in A(0) is true.
For the inductive step, we assume that A(k) is true for some k 0. Thus,
we assume that
k
X
1 rk+1
rj =
1r
j=0
is true. We will use this to show that the statement A(k + 1) given by
k+1
X

rj =

j=0

1 r(k+1)+1
1r

is true. Beginning with the left-hand side of the desired equation, we have

k+1
k
X
X
1 rk+1
rj =
rj + rk+1 =
+ rk+1 =
1

r
j=0
j=0
1 rk+1
rk+1 (1 r)
1 rk+1
rk+1 rk+2
+
=
+
=
1r
1r
1r
1r
1 rk+1 + rk+1 rk+2
1 r(k+1)+1
=
.
1r
1r
Thus, A(k + 1) is true and the the inductive step is complete.
By induction, the statement A(n) given by
n
X
j=0

rj =

1 rn+1
1r

is true for all n 0.




Question 2. Consider the function f (x) =


1

1
.
1x

(a) Compute the first several derivatives of f and use them to conjecture a
pattern for f (n) (x).
(b) Prove that your conjectured pattern for f (n) (x) is indeed true by using a
proof by induction.

Question 2a. Computing the first few derivatives, we have


f (x)
f 0 (x)
f 00 (x)
f 000 (x)
f (4) (x)

(1 x)1
(1 x)2
2(1 x)3
6(1 x)4
24(1 x)5

=
=
=
=
=

Thus, a reasonable pattern to conjecture is that


f (n) (x) = n!(1 x)(n+1)
for all integers n 0.
Question 2b. We will use mathematical induction to prove that the statement
A(n) given by
f (n) (x) = n!(1 x)(n+1)
is true for all integers n 0.
First, we verify the base case A(0), which states that f (0) (x) = 0!(1 x)01 ,
which is equivalent to f (x) = (1 x)1 , a true statement.
Next, we perform the inductive step. Thus, we assume that A(k) is true for
some k 0. So,
f (k) (x) = k!(1 x)(k+1) .
We will use this to prove that A(k + 1) is true by showing that
f (k+1) (x) = k!(1 x)((k+1)+1) .
Beginning with the left-hand side of the desired equation and using the fact that
(k + 1)! = (k + 1)k!, we have
f k+1 (x) =
k!

d
k!(1 x)(k+1) =
dx

d
(1 x)(k+1) =
dx

k! (1)(k + 1) (1)(1 x)(k+1)1 =


(k + 1)!(1 x)((k+1)+1) .
Thus, the statement A(k + 1) is true.
By mathematical induction, we can conclude that A(n) given by
f (n) (x) = n!(1 x)(n+1)
is true for all n 0.


Question 3. Let x > 1. Use mathematical induction to prove that


(1 + x)n 1 + nx
for all integers n 1.
Solution 3. We will use mathematical induction to prove that the statement
A(n) given by (1 + x)n 1 + nx is true for all integers n 1.
First, we verify the base case A(1), which states that (1 + x)1 1 + x, which
is true because 1 + x = 1 + x. Thus, A(1) is true.
Next, we perform the inductive step. Thus, we will assume that (1 + x)k
1 + kx for some k 1. We will show that A(k + 1) is true by showing that
(1 + x)k+1 1 + (k + 1)x.
Beginning with the left-hand side of our desired inequality, and using the fact
that 1 + x > 0 (since x > 1), we have
(1 + x)k+1 = (1 + x)(1 + x)k (1 + x)(1 + kx) =
1 + kx + x + kx2 = 1 + (k + 1)x + kx2 .
Since k 1 and x2 0, then kx2 0 and so 1 + (k + 1)x + kx2 1 + (k + 1)x.
Putting these inequalities together, we have that
(1 + x)k+1 1 + (k + 1)x,
which is exactly the statement A(k + 1).
By induction, we can conclude that the statement A(n) given by (1 + x)n
1 + nx is true for all n 1.


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