Lec 9 Proofs

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Proofs

Topics to be covered:

 What is proof
 Three types of proofs.
 Direct proof
 Indirect proof (contraposition)
 Proof by contradiction
What is a proof?

 A proof Is a valid statement that establish the truth of mathematical statement.


 Proofs are usually used to proof the conditional statements.

 The integer in “N” is even if there exists an integer “K” such that n=2k, and “N”
is odd if there exists an integer “K” such that n=2k+1
 Note that every integer is either even or odd, and no integer is both even and odd.
Direct Proof

 An implication p q can be proved by showing that if p is true then q is also true.


 p q is a conditional statement (usually represent by if “p” then “q”).
 Example: Give a direct proof of theorem “if n is odd, then n2 is odd”.

 Idea: assume that the hypotheses of this implication is true (n is odd). Then use rule
of inference and known theorem to show that q must also be true (n2 is odd).
Proving Theorem (direct proof)

 “if n is odd, then n2 is odd”

 N is odd. (n=2k+1).
 Then n= 2k+1, where k is an integer.

 Since n2 can be written in this form, it is odd.


Example:

 Give direct proof of the statement “ the product of two odd integers is odd”.
 Sol:
 Let x and y are two odd integers.
 We can say that x= 2m+1 and y = 2n+1
 Product of xy will be : (2m+1) (2n+1) = 4mn+2n+2m+1
 Take 2 common: 2(2mn+n+m)+1
 If we treat (2mn+n+m) is single integer “a” then we have 2a+1 which is also odd.
Indirect proof (contraposition)

 An implication p q is equivalent to its contra-positive .


 Therefor we can prove p q by showing that whenever q is false, then p is also false.

 Example: give an indirect proof of the theorem “if 3n + 2 is odd, then n is odd.

 Idea: Assume that the conclusion of this implication is false ( n is even). Then use rules of
inference and known theorems that p must also be false (3n + 2 is even).
Proving theorems (indirect proof)

 If 3n + 2 is odd, then n is odd.

 N is even.
 Then n= 2k, where k is an integer.
 It follow that
 3n + 2 = 3(2k)+2
 6k+2
 2(2k+1)
 Therefore 3n + 2 is even.

 we have to show that the contrapositive of the implication is true, so the implication itself is also true.
Example:

 Prove that if n=ab, where a and b are positive integers, then

 Sol ????
Proof by contradiction:

 In contradiction we take the value of q and sole it after negation.


 The result will tell us that value of p and our result are not same.
 In contradiction proof we show that there is a contradiction between two values.
Example:
 Show by contradiction that if 3n + 2 is odd then n is odd.

 Sol:
 According to given statement we have
 P= 3n + 2, q = n is odd
 Here we want to prove that statement by contradiction then we assume that q is false.
 -|q = n is even
 If n is even then we have, n = 2k
 By putting value of n in p we will have,
 P= 3n + 2= 3(2k) + 2
 6k + 2
 2(3k+1)
 2m
 3n + 2 is even, which contradict the given statement so n should be odd.

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