Chapter 1.

1, Problem 7E

Problem

Rewrite the following statements less formally, without using variables. Determine, as best as
you can, whether the statements are true or false.
a. There are real numbers u and v with the property that u + v

b. There is a real number x such that x2<x.

c. For all positive integers n, n2 ≥ n.

d. For all real numbers a and b, |a + b|≥ |a| + |b|.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1 of 5

a.
Consider the statement as,
There are real numbers and with the property that is less than
The objective is to rewrite the above statement less formally, without using the variables. Also,
determine whether those statements are true or false.
Rewrite the above given statement as follows:
There are real numbers whose sum is less than their difference.
Also, the above statement is

Statement: “There are real numbers 2 and -3 whose sum is less than their difference”.
The truth value of the above statement is ‘True’.
Reason:
Sum of the real numbers 2 and – 3 is,

Difference of the real numbers 2 and – 3 is,

So,
Hence, the above statement is true.

Step 2 of 5
b.
Consider the statement as,
There is a real number such that .

The objective is to rewrite the above statement less formally, without using the variables. Also,
determine whether those statements are true or false.
Rewrite the above given statement as follows:
There is a real number whose square is than itself.
Also, the above statement is

Statement: “There is a real number whose square is less than itself”.

The truth value of this statement is ‘True’.
Reason:
The square of is,
Clearly,
Hence, the statement is true.

Step 3 of 5

c.
Consider the statement as,
For all positive integers

The objective is to rewrite the above statement less formally, without using the variables. Also,
determine whether those statements are true or false.
Rewrite the above given statement as follows:
The square of any positive integer is greater than or equals to that integer.
Also, the above statement is

Reason:
Consider,

Multiply both sides with a positive integer n, obtained as,

For example:
1 is the smallest positive integer whose square is equal to itself. …… (1)
2 is a positive integer whose square is 4 greater than the integer 2.
3 is a positive integer whose square is 9 greater than the integer 3.
This will continue for all the other positive integers. …… (2)
From (1) and (2), the truth value of the statement is true.

Step 4 of 5
d.
Statement: “The absolute value of the sum of two real numbers is less than or equal to the sum
of the absolute values of that real numbers”.
The truth value of this statement is ‘True’
Reason:
Consider two positive real numbers 3 and 4.
The absolute value of the sum of these numbers is,

The sum of the absolute values of these numbers is,

Step 5 of 5

So, in the case of positive real numbers, the absolute value of the sum is equal to the sum of
the absolute values of those real numbers. …… (3)
Consider the real numbers – 2, 3.
The absolute value of the sum is,

The sum of the absolute values is,

In this case, the absolute value of the sum is less than the sum of the absolute values of those
numbers. …… (4)
Consider both the real numbers negative as -2, -3.
The absolute value of the sum is,

The sum of the absolute values is,

In this case also, the absolute value of the sum is equal to the sum of the absolute values of
those real numbers. …… (5)
From the observations (3), (4) and (5), the above statement is true.
Note: the subparts (a) and (b) deal with individual real numbers and so, they are directly
considered with the help of two real numbers.
On the contrary, (c) and (d) deal with the general results and so, the case study pertaining to
all positive integers in (c) and all real numbers in (d) are required.