30 lines
1.3 KiB
Plaintext
30 lines
1.3 KiB
Plaintext
Proof techniques #1: Proof by Induction.
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This technique is used on equations with "n" in them. Induction
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techniques are very popular, even the military used them.
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SAMPLE: Proof of induction without proof of induction.
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We know it's true for n equal to 1. Now assume that it's true
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for every natural number less than n. N is arbitrary, so we can take n
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as large as we want. If n is sufficiently large, the case of n+1 is
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trivially equivalent, so the only important n are n less than n. We
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can take n = n (from above), so it's true for n+1 because it's just
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about n.
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QED. (QED translates from the Latin as "So what?")
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Proof techniques #2: Proof by Oddity.
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SAMPLE: To prove that horses have an infinite number of legs.
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(1) Horses have an even number of legs.
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(2) They have two legs in back and fore legs in front.
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(3) This makes a total of six legs, which certainly is an odd number of
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legs for a horse.
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(4) But the only number that is both odd and even is infinity.
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(5) Therefore, horses must have an infinite number of legs.
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Topics is be covered in future issues include proof by:
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Intimidation
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Gesticulation (handwaving)
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"Try it; it works"
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Constipation (I was just sitting there and...)
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Blatant assertion
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Changing all the 2's to n's
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Mutual consent
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Lack of a counterexample, and
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"It stands to reason"
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