(GE120)

DISCRETE STRUCTURES

LECTURE # 11

Mathematical Induction

By,
Dr. Mehwish Manzur
NUTECH
 Layout of Today’s Lecture

• Mathematical Induction

• Principle of Mathematical Induction

• Solved Problem
 Mathematical Induction

Introduction

Suppose that we have an infinite ladder, as shown in Figure 1,

and we want to know whether we can reach every step on
this ladder. We know two things:
1. We can reach the first rung of the ladder.
2. If we can reach a particular rung of the ladder, then we
can reach the next rung.
Mathematical Induction

In general, mathematical induction can be used to prove statements

that assert that P (n) is true for all positive integers n, where P (n) is a
propositional function.
A proof by mathematical induction has two parts,
1. a basis step, where we show that P (1) is true,
2. and an inductive step, where we show that for all positive integers
k, if P (k) is true, then P (k + 1) is true
Principle of Mathematical Induction
To complete the inductive step of a proof using the principle of mathematical
induction, we assume that P (k) is true for an arbitrary positive integer k and
show that under this assumption, P (k + 1) must also be true. The assumption
that P (k) is true is called the inductive hypothesis.
Once we complete both steps in a proof by mathematical induction, we have
shown that P (n) is true for all positive integers, that is, we have shown that
∀nP (n) is true where the quantification is over the set of positive integers. In
the inductive step, we show that ∀k(P (k) → P (k + 1)) is true, where again, the
domain is the set of positive integers.
Question: Show that if n is a positive integer, then

Solution
Let P (n) be the proposition that the sum of the first n positive integers,
n(n + 1)
1 + 2 +··· + 𝑛 =
Basic Step: 2

Inductive Step:
For the inductive hypothesis we assume that P (k) holds for an arbitrary positive integer k. That
is, we assume that
 Under this assumption, it must be shown that P (k + 1) is true, namely, that

is also true. When we add k + 1 to both sides of the equation in P (k), we obtain

This last equation shows that P (k + 1) is true under the assumption that P (k) is true. This
completes the inductive step.
We have completed the basis step and the inductive step, so by mathematical induction we
know that P (n) is true for all positive integers n.
That is, we have proven that 1 + 2 +···+ n = n(n + 1)/2 for all positive integers n.
Question:
Use mathematical induction to show that the sum of the first 𝑛 odd
positive integers is 𝑛2 .

Solution

Basic Step:
P (1) states that the sum of the first one odd positive integer is 12. This is true because the sum of the
first odd positive integer is 1. The basis step is complete.
Inductive Step:
For the inductive hypothesis we assume that P (k) holds for an arbitrary positive integer k. That
is, we assume that
 Under this assumption, it must be shown that P (k + 1) is true, namely, that

is also true. When we add 2k + 1 to both sides of the equation in P (k), we obtain

This last equation shows that P (k + 1) is true under the assumption that P (k) is true. This
completes the inductive step.
We have completed the basis step and the inductive step, so by mathematical induction we
know that P (n) is true for all positive integers n.
That is, we have proven that 1 + 3 + 5 +··· + (2𝑛 − 1) = 𝑛2 for all positive integers 𝑛.
Question: Use mathematical induction to show that:

or all nonnegative integers n.

Solution

Basic Step:

Inductive Step:
For the inductive hypothesis we assume that P(k) holds for an arbitrary positive integer k. That is,
we assume that
 Under this assumption, it must be shown that P (k + 1) is true, namely, that

is also true. When we add 2𝑘+1 to both sides of the equation in P (k), we obtain

This last equation shows that P (k + 1) is true under the assumption that P (k) is true. This
completes the inductive step.
We have completed the basis step and the inductive step, so by mathematical induction we
know that P (n) is true for all positive integers n.
That is, we have proven that 1 + 2 +··· + 2𝑛 = 2𝑛+1 − 1 for all nonnegative integers n.
Question: Sums of Geometric Progressions

where n is a nonnegative integers.

Solution
P (n) be the statement that the sum of the first n + 1 terms of a geometric
progression in this formula is correct.
Basic Step:
P (0) is true, because

Inductive Step:
For the inductive hypothesis we assume that 𝑃(𝑘) holds for an arbitrary positive integer
k. That is, we assume that
 Under this assumption, it must be shown that 𝑃 (𝑘 + 1) is true, namely, that

is also true. When we add 𝑎𝑟 𝑘+1 to both sides of the equation in 𝑃 (𝑘), we obtain

This last equation shows that P (k + 1) is true under the assumption that P (k) is true. This
completes the inductive step.
We have completed the basis step and the inductive step, so by mathematical induction we
know that P (n) is true for all positive integers n.
That is, we have proven that the formula for the sum of the terms of a geometric series is
correct.
Question: PROVING INEQUALITIES
Use mathematical induction to prove the inequality

for all positive integers n.

Solution

Basic Step:

Inductive Step:
For the inductive hypothesis we assume that P(k) holds for an arbitrary positive integer
k. That is, we assume that
Under this assumption, it must be shown that P (k + 1) is true, namely, that

is also true.

Note that: 1 ≤ 2k

This last equation shows that P (k + 1) is true under the assumption that P (k) is true. This
completes the inductive step.

We have completed the basis step and the inductive step, so by mathematical induction we
know that P (n) is true for all positive integers n.

That is, we have proven that the n < 2n is true for all positive integers n.
Question: PROVING INEQUALITIES
Use mathematical induction to prove the inequality

for all positive integers n with n ≥ 4 .

Question: PROVING INEQUALITIES
Use mathematical induction to prove the inequality

for all positive integers n with n ≥ 4 .

Solution

Basic Step:
To prove the inequality for n ≥ 4 requires that the basis step be P (4).
Note that P (4) is true, because 24 = 16 < 24 = 4!
Inductive Step:
For the inductive hypothesis we assume that P(k) holds for an arbitrary positive integer
k. That is, we assume that
Under this assumption, it must be shown that P (k + 1) is true, namely, that for k ≥ 4

is also true.

This last equation shows that P (k + 1) is true under the assumption that P (k) is true. This
completes the inductive step.
We have completed the basis step and the inductive step, so by mathematical induction we
know that P (n) is true for all positive integers n.

That is, we have proven that 2n < n! is true for all integers n with n ≥ 4.
Question: PROVING DIVISIBILITY RESULTS

Use mathematical induction to prove that 𝑛3 − 𝑛 is divisible by 3

whenever n is a positive integer.

Solution

Basic Step:
The statement P (1) is true because 13 − 1 = 0 is divisible by 3. This completes
the basis step.
Inductive Step:
For the inductive hypothesis we assume that P(k) holds for an arbitrary positive integer
k. That is, we assume that
Under this assumption, it must be shown that P (k + 1) is true,

Using the inductive hypothesis, we conclude that the first term k3 − k is divisible by 3. The
second term is divisible by 3 because it is 3 times an integer.
This last equation shows that P (k + 1) is true under the assumption that P (k) is true. This
completes the inductive step.

We have completed the basis step and the inductive step, so by mathematical induction we
know that P (n) is true for all positive integers n.

That is, we have proven that 𝑛3 − 𝑛 is divisible by 3 whenever n is a positive integer.

Question: PROVING DIVISIBILITY RESULTS

Use mathematical induction to prove that 7𝑛+2 + 82𝑛+1 is divisible by 57

for every nonnegative integer n.
Question: PROVING DIVISIBILITY RESULTS

Use mathematical induction to prove that 7𝑛+2 + 82𝑛+1 is divisible by 57

for every nonnegative integer n.
Solution Let P (n) denote the proposition:
7𝑛+2 + 82𝑛+1 is divisible by 57

Basic Step:
To complete the basis step, we must show that P (0) is true, because we want to prove that P (n) is
true for every nonnegative integer. We see that P (0) is true because

Inductive Step:
For the inductive hypothesis we assume that P(k) holds for an arbitrary positive integer
k. That is, we assume that
 Under this assumption, it must be shown that P (k + 1) is true,

Using the inductive hypothesis, we conclude that the first term k3 − k is divisible by
57. The second term is divisible by 57 because it is 57 times an integer.
This last equation shows that P (k + 1) is true under the assumption that P (k) is true. This
completes the inductive step.

We have completed the basis step and the inductive step, so by mathematical induction we
know that P (n) is true for all positive integers n.

That is, we have proven that 7𝑛+2 + 82𝑛+1 is divisible by 57 for every nonnegative integer n.