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Mathematical induction is an inference rule used in formal proofs, and is the foundation of most correctness proofs for computer programs. [3] Despite its name, mathematical induction differs fundamentally from inductive reasoning as used in philosophy, in which the examination of
The expression "mathematical proof" is used by lay people to refer to using mathematical methods or arguing with mathematical objects, such as numbers, to demonstrate something about everyday life, or when data used in an argument is numerical. It is sometimes also used to mean a "statistical proof" (below), especially when used to argue from data.
All horses are the same color is a falsidical paradox that arises from a flawed use of mathematical induction to prove the statement All horses are the same color. [1] There is no actual contradiction, as these arguments have a crucial flaw that makes them incorrect.
Fermat's little theorem and some proofs; Gödel's completeness theorem and its original proof; Mathematical induction and a proof; Proof that 0.999... equals 1; Proof that 22/7 exceeds π; Proof that e is irrational; Proof that π is irrational; Proof that the sum of the reciprocals of the primes diverges
We prove associativity by first fixing natural numbers a and b and applying induction on the natural number c. For the base case c = 0, (a + b) + 0 = a + b = a + (b + 0) Each equation follows by definition [A1]; the first with a + b, the second with b. Now, for the induction. We assume the induction hypothesis, namely we assume that for some ...
Proof by exhaustion, also known as proof by cases, proof by case analysis, complete induction or the brute force method, is a method of mathematical proof in which the statement to be proved is split into a finite number of cases or sets of equivalent cases, and where each type of case is checked to see if the proposition in question holds. [1]
This is perhaps the simplest known proof, requiring the least mathematical background. It is an attractive example of a combinatorial proof (a proof that involves counting a collection of objects in two different ways). The proof given here is an adaptation of Golomb's proof. [1] To keep things simple, let us assume that a is a positive integer.
In mathematics and logic, a direct proof is a way of showing the truth or falsehood of a given statement by a straightforward combination of established facts, usually axioms, existing lemmas and theorems, without making any further assumptions. [1]