• Want to help us with this year's BoS Trials?
    Let us know before 30 June. See this thread for details
  • Looking for HSC notes and resources?
    Check out our Notes & Resources page

Re: Prove by mathematical induction. (1 Viewer)

EViL.GENiUS

Black Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2007
Messages
31
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
Hi could someone help me here.

Prove by mathematical induction.
 

Trebla

Administrator
Administrator
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
8,179
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
When n = 1
LHS = 1 + 1 = 2
RHS = 1(3 + 1)/2 = 2
LHS = RHS
.: statement is true for n = 1
Assume the statement is true for n = k
(k + 1) + (k + 2) + ...... + (2k - 1) + (2k) = k(3k + 1)/2
Need to prove it is true for n = k + 1
(k + 2) + (k + 3) + ...... + (2k + 1) + (2k + 2) = (k + 1)(3k + 4)/2
LHS = (k + 2) + (k + 3) + ...... + (2k) + (2k + 1) + (2k + 2)
= k(3k + 1)/2 - (k + 1) + 2k + 1 +2k + 2 by assumption
= k(3k + 1)/2 + 3k + 2
= (3k² + 7k + 4)/2
= (k + 1)(3k + 4)/2
= RHS
[insert conclusion here....]
 
Last edited:

donetha

New Member
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
18
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
are you sure there isn't a mistake in the question, because I am getting the same second last line as the other guy...(3k^2+5k+4)/2..but that doesn't factorise nicely.

I can get to (3k+2)(k+1)/2 but not (3k+4)(k+1)/2
 
Last edited:

3unitz

Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
161
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
EViL.GENiUS said:
Hi could someone help me here.

Prove by mathematical induction.
assume true for n = k,
(k + 1) + (k + 2) + ... + (2k)= k(3k + 1)/2

n = k+1
[(k + 1) + 1] + [(k + 1) + 2] + ... + [(k+1) + (k+1)] = (k+ 1) [3(k + 1) + 1]/2

LHS = [(k + 1) + 1] + [(k + 1) + 2] + ... +[(k+1) + k] + [(k+1) + (k+1)]
= k(3k + 1)/2 + k + [(k+1) + (k+1)] (using assumption)***
= k(3k + 1)/2 + 2k/2 + 4(k+1)/2
= (3k^2 + k + 2k + 4k + 4)/2
= (3k^2 + 7k + 4)/2
= (k+1)(3k+4)/2

RHS = (k+ 1) [3(k + 1) + 1]/2 = (k+1)(3k+4)/2 = LHS

*** the colour parts just try to show how the assumption was used:
the red parts is the assumption
the blue parts are the left over 1's (which add to give k)
the orange part is just the left over part
 

3unitz

Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
161
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
donetha said:
are you sure there isn't a mistake in the question
you can always check the question yourself using series:

LHS = (n + 1) + (n + 2) + (n + 3) + ... + (n + n)
= (n x n) + (1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n)
= n^2 + (n/2)(1 + n)
= (2n^2 + n + n^2)/2
= (3n^2 + n)/2
= n(3n + 1)/2
= RHS
 

bobos2

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2008
Messages
33
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
before my teacher taught us induction, she said it was really really difficult, and but i've learnt it, && i've found it pretti easy...is there something im missing? did u guys find it that difficult to understand? thanx.
 

EViL.GENiUS

Black Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2007
Messages
31
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
Induction questions vary in difficulty but mostly it just, put n=1, the n=k and try to make n=k+1 from n=k
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top