mary231089
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can anyone explain to me fully the point of mathematical induction and does anyone out there have anything that may help (like booklets or sumfing!)
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mathematical induction (1 Viewer)
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SoulSearcher
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There's a couple of threads in the extension 1 maths forums that can help you out with induction as well, just search for them.mary231089 said:can anyone explain to me fully the point of mathematical induction and does anyone out there have anything that may help (like booklets or sumfing!)
vulgarfraction
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The point:
Okay, take this analogy I've seen. Say you have an infinite staircase. You have to prove that every single step is painted yellow. Of course, if you chase after it and count every step that'd get you nowhere because your staircase is infinite. So what you do is prove that if a step is yellow, it implies that the step above it is yellow, and then show that the step at the very bottom is yellow. Done.
Okay, take this analogy I've seen. Say you have an infinite staircase. You have to prove that every single step is painted yellow. Of course, if you chase after it and count every step that'd get you nowhere because your staircase is infinite. So what you do is prove that if a step is yellow, it implies that the step above it is yellow, and then show that the step at the very bottom is yellow. Done.
