PROOF BY INDUCTION: MORE EXERCISES

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
1.
𝑁
𝑛+2 1
𝐻𝑁 : 𝑛
=1−
𝑛 𝑛+1 2 𝑁 + 1 2𝑁
𝑛=1

3 3
When 𝑁 = 1: LHS = , RHS = ⇒ 𝐻1 is true.
4 4
Assume 𝐻𝑘 is true.
𝑘
𝑛+2 1
𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 𝑛
=1−
𝑛 𝑛+1 2 𝑘 + 1 2𝑘
𝑛=1

𝑘+1
𝑛+2 1 𝑘+1 +2
⇒ =1− +
𝑛 𝑛 + 1 2𝑛 𝑘 + 1 2𝑘 𝑘 + 1 𝑘 + 1 + 1 2 𝑘+1
𝑛=1

2 𝑘+1 +1 − 𝑘+1 +2
=1−
𝑘+1 𝑘 + 1 + 1 2 𝑘+1
1
=1− 𝑘+1
𝑘+1 +1 2
⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1
𝐻1 is true, and 𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1 .
∴ 𝐻𝑁 is true for all positive integers N.

2.
𝐻𝑛 : 𝑢𝑛 < 4
When 𝑛 = 1: 𝑢1 < 4 ⇒ 𝐻1 is true.
Assume 𝐻𝑘 is true.
𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 𝑢𝑘 < 4
5𝑢𝑘 + 4 4𝑢𝑘 + 8 − 5𝑢𝑘 − 4 4 − 𝑢𝑘
⇒ 4 − 𝑢𝑘+1 = 4 − = = >0
𝑢𝑘 + 2 𝑢𝑘 + 2 𝑢𝑘 + 2
⇒ 𝑢𝑘+1 < 4
⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1
𝐻1 is true, and 𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1 .
∴ 𝐻𝑛 is true for all positive integers 𝑛.
5𝑢𝑛 + 4 5𝑢𝑛 + 4 − 𝑢𝑛 2 − 2𝑢𝑛 4 − 𝑢𝑛 𝑢𝑛 + 1
𝑢𝑛+1 − 𝑢𝑛 = − 𝑢𝑛 = = >0 ⇒ 𝑢𝑛+1 > 𝑢𝑛
𝑢𝑛 + 2 𝑢𝑛 + 2 𝑢𝑛 + 2
3.
𝑛 −1
𝐻𝑛 : 𝑎𝑛 ≥ 2 𝜆
When 𝑛 = 2: LHS = 2𝜆 , RHS = 2 ⇒ 𝐻2 is true.
Assume 𝐻𝑘 is true.
𝜆 𝑘−1
𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 𝑎𝑘 ≥ 2
𝜆
1 𝜆 𝑘−1
𝜆
𝜆 𝑘+1−1
⇒ 𝑎𝑘+1 = 𝑎𝑘 + ≥ 𝑎𝑘 𝜆 ≥ 2 =2
𝑎𝑘
⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1
𝐻2 is true, and 𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1 .
∴ 𝐻𝑛 is true for all integers 𝑛 ≥ 2.
𝜆
1
𝑎𝑛+1 𝑎𝑛 + 𝑎 𝑎𝑛 𝜆 𝜆−1
𝑛 𝑛 −1
= > = 𝑎𝑛 𝜆−1 ≥ 2 𝜆 = 2 𝜆−1 g 𝑛
𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛

4.
𝐻𝑛 : 232𝑛 + 312𝑛 + 46 is divisible by 48.
When 𝑛 = 0: 230 + 310 + 46 = 48 is divisible by 48 ⇒ 𝐻0 is true.
Assume 𝐻𝑘 is true.
𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 232𝑘 + 312𝑘 + 46 is divisible by 48.
⇒ 232 𝑘+1 + 312 𝑘+1 + 46
= 232 232𝑘 + 312 312𝑘 + 46
= 232 232𝑘 + 312𝑘 + 46 + 432 312𝑘 − 24288
= 232 232𝑘 + 312𝑘 + 46 + 48 9 312𝑘 − 506 is divisible by 48.
⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1
𝐻0 is true, and 𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1 .
∴ 𝐻𝑛 is true for all integers 𝑛 ≥ 0.

5.

𝑎𝑛+1 − 𝑎𝑛 = 172 𝑛+1

+ 3 9𝑛+1 + 20 − 172𝑛 − 3 9𝑛 − 20 = 172𝑛 172 − 1 + 3 9𝑛 9 − 1 = 24 12 172𝑛 + 9𝑛

𝐻𝑛 : 𝑎𝑛 is divisible by 24.
When 𝑛 = 0: 𝑎0 = 1 + 3 + 20 = 24 is divisible by 24 ⇒ 𝐻0 is true.
Assume 𝐻𝑘 is true.
𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 𝑎𝑘 is divisible by 24.
⇒ 𝑎𝑘+1 = 24 12 172𝑘 + 9𝑘 + 𝑎𝑘 is divisible by 24.
⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1
𝐻0 is true, and 𝐻𝑘 ⇒ 𝐻𝑘+1 .
∴ 𝐻𝑛 is true for all integers 𝑛 ≥ 0.