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MATH 2420 Discrete Mathematics

This document summarizes a proof by mathematical induction that the inequality H2n ≥ 1 + n/2 is true for all nonnegative integers n, where Hk represents the kth harmonic number. The proof shows that if the inequality holds for n, it also holds for n+1 by expanding the harmonic number term and applying properties of powers of 2. Key steps include replacing the first half of terms in the expanded expression with the inductive hypothesis and recognizing that the remaining terms can be expressed as a multiple of 2n+1.

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63 views3 pages

MATH 2420 Discrete Mathematics

This document summarizes a proof by mathematical induction that the inequality H2n ≥ 1 + n/2 is true for all nonnegative integers n, where Hk represents the kth harmonic number. The proof shows that if the inequality holds for n, it also holds for n+1 by expanding the harmonic number term and applying properties of powers of 2. Key steps include replacing the first half of terms in the expanded expression with the inductive hypothesis and recognizing that the remaining terms can be expressed as a multiple of 2n+1.

Uploaded by

Serban Elena
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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MATH 2420 Discrete Mathematics

Proof: An Inequality for Harmonic Numbers

Definition
The harmonic numbers, denoted H1 , H2 , H3 , . . ., are a special sequence
of numbers. The sequence begins at one and continues as an infinite
sum, like so

H1 = 1
1
H2 = 1 +
2
1 1
H3 = 1+ +
2 3
1 1 1
H4 = 1+ + +
2 3 4
1 1 1
Hk = 1 + + + · · · + ∀ n ∈ Z+
2 3 k

Proposal
Use mathematical induction to show that
n
H2n ≥ 1 + ,
2
whenever n is a nonnegative integer.

From Rosen, 4th ed, pg. 193

Notice that this only applies to harmonic numbers at powers of 2.

Proof
To carry out the proof, let P (n) be the proposition that
n
H2n ≥ 1 + .
2
Basis Step
Let n = 0. Then P (0) is
0
H 20 = H 1 = 1 ≥ 1 + .
2
Inductive Step
Assume that P (n) is true, so that
n
H2n ≥ 1 + .
2
It must be shown that P (n + 1), which states
n+1
H2n+1 ≥ 1 + ,
2

1
must also be true under this assumption. This is done as follows:
1 1 1 1 1
H2n+1 = 1+ + + ··· + n
+ n + · · · + n+1 (1)
2 3 2 2 +1 2
1 1 1 1 1
= 1 + + + ··· + + + · · · + n+1 (2)
| 2 3{z 2n} 2n + 1 2
H2n
1 1
= H 2n + n + · · · + n+1 (3)
2 +1 2
 n 1 1
≥ 1+ + n + · · · + n+1 (4)
2 2 +1 2
 n 1
≥ 1+ + 2n × n+1 (5)
2 2
 n 1
≥ 1+ + (6)
2 2
n+1
= 1+ . (7)
2
Thus, by the Principle of Mathematical Induction, the inequality
for the harmonic numbers is valid for all nonnegative integers n.

Discussion

Line 1
This is just the equation for P (n) with n+1 substituted for n and
then the sequence expanded. Note that the term 21n is followed
by 2n1+1 and not 2n+11
. This is because consecutive powers of 2
are not consecutive numbers on the number line (21 = 2, 22 = 4,
23 = 8, 24 = 16). In fact, the gap between consecutive powers
increases as the power increases.
Line 2
In this line we recognize the part of the expanded series that we
can replace, namely, all terms from 1 up to 21n . This is from the
definition of the harmonic numbers.
Line 3
Here the “known” portion of the sequence is replaced by H2n .
Line 4
We now replace H2n with the inductive hypothesis which we have
already proven.
Line 5
This is the most complex line in the proof. We have a problem in
that we have the terms from 2n1+1 to 2n+11
to deal with, and we
don’t know how many of them there are. Or do we? Let’s look

2
at the powers of 2 as they increase:

20 = 1
21 = 2 = 1+1
22 = 4 = 2+2
23 = 8 = 4+4
24 = 16 = 8+8
25 = 32 = 16 + 16

The “distance” on the numberline from a power of 2 to the next


power is always the same as the previous power of 2. That is,
to get from 2k to 2k+1 we need 2k terms. We can write this as
2k + 2k or even as 2 × 2k since adding a term to itself is the same
as multiplying by 2. If we look at 2 as really 21 we then have
21 × 2k , which can be rewritten as 2k+1 . If we replace k with n
we have 2n+1 which is the denominator in the last term of the
sequence. So we can reliably say that there are 2n terms in that
part of the sequence remaining after we replace the first half with
H 2n .
1
So that answers the first question, but why multiply by 2n+1 ?
Line 6
In this line we see the result ( 12 ) of the multiplication in the
previous line. This results because of cancellation of common
terms. The demoninator can be written as 2n1×2 which allows us
to cancel the 2n leaving only 12 .
Line 7
Here the fraction 21 is added to the fraction n2 to simplify the terms
and produce the final form, which is what was to be shown.

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