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Mathematical Induction

Quick Practice Set

1) Use Mathematical Induction to show that for all positive integers n  2,

2  1  3  2  4  3  ...  n  n  1  n  n 2  1 .
1
3

2) i. Use mathematical induction to prove that for n  2

 1  1  1  1  n 1
1  2   1  2   1  2   ....  1  2   .
 2   3   4   n  2n

3 8 15 9999
ii. Hence evaluate    ....  .
4 9 16 10000

3) Prove by mathematical induction that 5n  2  11n is divisible by 3, where n is a positive integer.

4) Prove by mathematical induction that 7 n  6n  1 is divisible by 36 for all positive integers n  2

5) i. Solve x 2  2 x  1.

ii. Prove by mathematical induction that 2n  n 2 for all integers n  5.

6) tan   tan 
i. Use that fact that tan      to show that
1  tan  tan 
1  tan n tan  n  1  cot   tan  n  1  tan n .

ii. Use mathematical induction to prove that, for all inetegers n  1,

tan  tan 2  tan 2 tan 3  ...  tan n tan  n  1    n  1  cot  tan  n  1 .

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Solutions
1) Prove true for n  2
LHS  2 1  2
RHS   2  22  1  2
1
3
true for n  2

Assume true for n  k

2  1  3  2  ...  k  k  1  k  k 2  1
1
3

Prove true for n  k  1

2  1  3  2  ...  k  k  1   k  1 k 
1
3
 
 k  1  k  1  1
2

LHS  k  k 2  1   k  1 using assumption

1
3
1
 k  k  k  1  3k 
3
1
  k  1  k  1  1
2

3  
Therefore, by mathematical induction, true for all positive integers n  2.

2) i) When n  2 :
1 3
LHS  1  2 
2 4
2 1 3
RHS    LHS
2 2 4
 1   1  1   1  k 1
Assume true for n  k : 1  2   1  2   1  2   ...  1  2  
 2   3   4   k  2k
Prove true for n  k  1:
 1   1  1   1   1  k 2
i.e 1  2    1  2    1  2   ...   1  2   1  
 2  k  1
 2   3   4   k    k  1
2

k 1  1 
Now LHS   1   using the assumption
2k   k  12 

k  1  k  1  1
2

 
 k  1
2
2k
 k  1  k 2  2k 

2k  k  1
2

k2

2  k  1
= RHS
Hence, by the Principle of Mathematical Induction, the result holds true for all integers
n  2.
101
ii) n  100, hence the product equals .
200

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3) Let P ( n) be the statement 5n  2 11n is divisible by 3

Prove true for n  1:

51  2  111  5  22  27
Which is divisible by 3. Hence P(1) is true

Prove true for n  k

Assume P(k ) is true for some k  , k  n, i.e.
5k  2  11k  3M where M  .
Rearranging this: 5k  3M  2 11k

Prove true for n  k  1:

5k 1  2 11k 1
 5k 51  2 11k 1
 5(3M  2  11k )  2 11k 1
 3  5M  10 11k  2 1111k
 3  5M  10 11k  22 11k
 3  5M  12 11k
 3(5M  4 11k )
 3P (where P  )
 True for n  k  1 if true for n  k. As true for all integral n  1 by the principle of
mathematical induction.

4) Prove true for n  2

LHS = 49  12  1  36
 True for n  2
Assume true for n  k ,
i.e. 7k  6k  1  36 p, p 
Rearranging this: 7k  36 p  6k  1

Test for n  k  1, i.e. 7k 1  6(k  1)  1  36q, q  .

LHS = 7  7k  6k  6  1
 7  36 p  6k  1  6k  7
 7  36 p  42k  7  6k  7
 7  36 p  36k
 36  7 p  k 
 divisible by 36 since  7 p  k  is an integer
 True for n  k  1 if true for n  k. As true for all integral n  2 by the principle of
mathematical induction.

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5) (i) x 2  2 x  1
Consider
x2  2 x  1
x2  2 x  1  0
2 8
x
2
22 2

2
1 2
Solving the inequality
x2  2 x  1
x2  2 x  1  0

x  1  2 or x  1  2

(ii) Prove true for n  5

LHS = 25  32
RHS = 52  25
 LHS > RHS
 true for n  5
Assume true for n  k
2k  k 2
Prove true for n  k  1
2k 1   k  1
2

LHS = 2k 1
 2  2k
 2  k 2 (using assumption)
 k2  k2
 k 2   2k  1 since k 2  2k  1 for k  1  2 applying (i) and k  5
  k  1
2

= RHS
 2k 1  2k 2   k  1
2

 2k 1   k  1
2

 true for n  k  1
By mathematical induction, true for all n  5

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6) tan   tan 
(i) tan     
1  tan  tan 
tan   tan 
1  tan  tan  
tan    
Let    n  1 and   n
tan  n  1  tan n
1  tan  n  1 tan n 
tan 
1  tan  n  1 tan n  cot   tan  n  1  tan n  ,

(ii) Given 1  tan n tan  n  1  cot   tan  n  1  tan n 

i.e tan n tan  n  1  cot   tan  n  1  tan n   1
Prove by induction that for n  1
tan  tan 2  tan 2 tan 3  ...  tan n tan  n  1    n  1  cot  tan  n  1

Prove true for n  1:

1  tan  tan 2  cot   tan 2  tan  

LHS  tan tan 2

 cot   tan 2  tan    1 using the identity above
 cot  tan 2  cot  tan   1
 cot  tan 2  2
RHS   1  1  cot  tan 1  1
 2  cot  tan 2
 LHS  RHS
 true for n  1

Assume that it is true for n  k , prove that it is also true for n  k  1:

tan  tan 2  tan 2 tan 3  ...  tan k tan  k  1    k  1  cot  tan  k  1
Then prove tan  tan 2  tan 2 tan 3  ...  tan k tan  k  1  tan  k  1 tan  k  2 
   k  2   cot  tan  k  2 
LHS    k  1  cot  tan  k  1  tan  k  1 tan  k  2  [using assumption]
   k  1  cot  tan  k  1  cot   tan  k  2  tan  k  1   1 [using the identity]
    k  1  1  cot  tan  k  2
   k  2   cot  tan  k  2 
 RHS
true for n  k  1
Therefore, by mathematical induction, true for all n  1.