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Discrete Mathematics
Module 3
Additional Practice Questions
1 1 1
1. Find a formula for + +···+ by examining the values of this expression for small values of n.
1.2 2.3 n(n + 1)
Prove it by mathematical induction.
n
Soln:
n+1
1 1 1 1
2. Find a formula for + + + ··· + by examining the values of this expression for small values of n.
2 4 8 2n
Prove it by mathematical induction.
¡ n ¢
2 −1
Soln:
2n
n
k2k = (n − 1)2n+1 + 2.
P
3. Prove that for every positive integer n,
k=1

4. Prove that for every positive integer n,

¡ ¢
1 · 2 · 3 + 2 · 3 · 4 + · · · + n(n + 1)(n + 2) = n(n + 1)(n + 2)(n + 3) /4

5. Prove that 3n < n! if n is an integer greater than 6.

6. Prove that 5 divides n5 - n whenever n is a nonnegative interger.

7. Prove that if n is a positive integer, then 133 divides 11n+1 + 122n−1 .

8. Use strong indution to show that if you can run one mile or two miles, and if you can always run two more
miles once you have run a specified number of miles, then you can run any number of miles.

9. Determine which amounts of postage can be formed using just 4-cent and 11-cent stamps. Prove your
answer to using strong induction.
Soln: All amounts of postage greater than or equal to 30 cents using just 4-cent and 11-cent stamps.

10. Solve the following recurrence relations

5a n − 11a n−1 + 2a n−2 = 0, n ≥ 2, a 0 = 2, a 1 = −8
14 n 20 1 n
µ ¶
Soln: a n = − (2) +
3 3 5
11. 2a n+2 − 11a n+1 + 5a n = 0, n ≥ 2, a 0 = 2, a 1 = −8
µ ¶n
1
Soln: a n = 4 − 2(5)n
2
12. a n − 7a n−1 + 10a n−2 = 0, n ≥ 2, a 0 = 0, a 1 = 41.
41 41
Soln: a n = − (2)n + (5)n
3 3
13. 2a n − 7a n−1 + 3a n−2 = 0, n ≥ 2, a 0 = 2, a 1 = 5.
8 n 2 1 n
µ ¶
Soln: a n = (3) + .
5 5 2
14. a n = 8a n−1 − 16a n−2 , n ≥ 2, a 0 = 16, a 1 = 80.
Soln: a n = 16(4)n + 4n(4)n

15. a n = 2a n−1 + 2a n−2 , n ≥ 2, a 0 = 1, a 1 = 3.

p p
2+ 3¡ p ¢n −2 + 3 ¡ p ¢n
Soln: a n = p 1+ 3 + p 1− 3
2 3 2 3
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16. If a 0 = 0, a 1 = 1, a 2 = 4, and a 3 = 37 satisfy the recurrence relation a n+2 + ba n+1 + ca n = 0 where n ≥ 0 and
b and c are constants. Determine b, c and solve for a n .
Soln: n = 0, a 2 + ba 1 + ca 0 = 0, b + 4 = 0, b = −4
n = 1, a 3 − 4a 2 + ca 1 = 0, c = −21

17. a n+2 − 4a n+1 − 21a n = 0, a 0 = 0, a 1 = 3.

3£ n
(7) − (−3)n
¤
Soln: a n =
10
18. a n = 2a n−1 + a n−2 − 2a n−3 for n = 3, 4, 5, · · · , a 0 = 3, a 1 = 6, a 2 = 0.
Soln: a n = 6 − 2(−1)n − 2n

19. a n = 2a n−1 + 5a n−2 − 6a n−3 , a 0 = 7, a 1 = −4, and a 2 = 8.

Soln: a n = 5 − (3)n + 3(−2)n

20. a n = 6a n−1 − 12a n−2 + 8a n−3 , a 0 = −5, a 1 = 4, and a 2 = 88.

n 13n2 n
µ ¶
Soln: a n = −5 + + 2
2 2

21. a n = 8a n−2 − 16a n−4 + n2n .

Soln: a n = α1 + α2 n 2n + α3 + α4 n (−2)n + n2 A 1 n + A 0 2n
¡ ¢ ¡ ¢ ¡ ¢

22. a n = 2a n−1 + 3n .
Soln: a n = α2n + 3n+1

23. a n = −5a n−1 − 6a n−2 + 42 · 4n , a 1 = 56, a 2 = 278.

Soln: a n = (−2)n + 2(−3)n + 4n+2

24. a n = 2a n−1 + 3 · 2n .
Soln: a n = 2n + 3n2n

25. Find the generating function for the following sequence

(a) 0, 0, 0, 6, − 6, 6, − 6, 6, · · · · · · (b) 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, · · · · · ·

(c) 1, − 1, 1, − 1, 1, − 1, · · · · · ·

6x3
Soln: (a) f (x) = (b) f (x) = (1 − x2 )−1 (c) f (x) = (1 + x)−1
1+ x
26. Find the exponential generating function for the sequences
(a) 1, 2, 22 , 23 , 24 , · · · · · · (b) 1, a2 , a4 , a6 , · · · · · · , a ∈ R
2
Soln: (a) e2 x (b) e a x

27. Determine the sequence generated by each of the following exponential generating functions
1
(a) f (x) = 2e2 x (b) f (x) = 6e5 x − 3e2 x (c) f (x) =
(1 − x)
3
(d) f (x) = (e) f (x) = e3 x − 28x3 − 6x2 + 9x
(1 − 2x) + e x
Soln:
∞ (2x) n
(a) f (x) = 2e2 x = 2
P
.
n=0 n!
2, 22 , 23 , 24 · · · · · · is the sequence generated by f (x).
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∞ (5x) n ∞ (2x) n
(b) f (x) = 6e5 x − 3e2 x = 6
P P
−3 , so f (x) is the generating function for the sequence
n=0 n! n=0 n!
3, 24, 138, · · · · · · .
1
(c) f (x) = is the generating function for the sequence 0!, 1!, 2!, 3! · · · · · · .
(1 − x)
3 x x2 x3
µ ¶
x 2
(d) f (x) = + e = 3(1 + 2x + 4x + · · · · · · ) + 1 + + + + · · · · · · so f (x) is the generating function
(1 − 2x) 1! 2! 3!
for the sequence 4, 7, 25, 145, · · · · · ·
(e) 1, 12, − 3, − 141, 34 , 35 , 36 , · · · · · ·

28. Use generating functions to solve the recurrence relation a k = 4a k−1 − 4a k−2 + k2 with initial conditions
a 0 = 2 and a 1 = 5.
Soln: a k = k2 + 8k + 20 + 6k − 18 2k
¡ ¢

29. Use generating functions to solve the recurrence relation a k = 2a k−1 + 3a k−2 + 4k + 6 with initial conditions
a 0 = 20, a 1 = 6.
16 k 3 31 67
Soln: a k = 4 − + (−1)k + 3k
5 2 20 4