Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n, each of the following propositions is true.

(1 − 5)
1. 3 + 7 + 11 + ! + (4n − 1) = n(2n + 1)

2. 2 × 2 + 4 × 5 + 6 × 8 + ! + 2n(3n − 1) = 2n 2 (n + 1)

3. 3 × 4 + 4 × 7 + 5 × 10 + ! + (n + 2)(3n + 1) = n(n + 2)(n + 3)

1 1 1 1 n
4. + + +!+ =
1 × 6 6 × 11 11 × 16 (5n − 4)(5n + 1) 5n + 1

1 1 1 1 n
5. + + +!+ =
3× 5 5× 7 7 × 9 (2n + 1)(2n + 3) 6n + 9

Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n, each of the following propositions is true.
(6 − 9)
12 22 32 n2 n(n + 1)
6. + + +!+ =
1 × 6 3 × 10 5 × 14 (2n − 1)(4n + 2) 4(2n + 1)
n(n + 1)(n + 2)(n + 3)
7. 1 × 3 × 4 + 2 × 4 × 6 + 3 × 5 × 8 + ! + n(n + 2)(2n + 2) =
2
n(n + 1)(n + 2)(3n + 5)
8. 1 × 22 + 2 × 32 + 3 × 42 + ! + n(n + 1) 2 =
12
n
4 2n + 3
9. ∏[1 − (2r + 1)2 ] = 3(2n + 1)
r =1
n
[ Hint: ∏a r = a1 ⋅ a 2 ⋅ a 3 ! a n ]
r =1

2.1
10. Let a1 = 2 and ak = ak −1 + 4 for all integers k ≥ 2 . Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive
integers n, an = 4n − 2.

11. (a) Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n,
n(n + 1)
12 − 22 + 32 − 42 + ! + (−1) n +1 × n 2 = (−1) n +1 × .
2
(b) Hence evaluate the following expressions.
(i) 12 − 22 + 32 − 42 + ! + 232 − 242
(ii) 112 − 122 + 133 − 142 + ! + 272 − 282

12. (a) Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n,
13 + 33 + 53 + ! + (2n − 1)3 = n 2 (2n 2 − 1).

(b) Hence evaluate the following expressions.

(i) 23 + 63 + 103 + ! + 303
(ii) 213 + 273 + 333 + ! + 513

13. (a) Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n,
n(n + 1)(n + 2)(3n + 1)
1 × 2 × 2 + 2 × 3 × 4 + 3 × 4 × 6 + ! + n(n + 1)(2n) = .
6
(b) Hence evaluate the following expressions.
(i) 10 × 11 × 20 + 11 × 12 × 22 + 12 × 13 × 24 + ! + 20 × 21 × 40
(ii) 8 × 16 × 18 + 9 × 18 × 20 + 10 × 20 × 22 + ! + 18 × 36 × 38

14. (a) Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n,
n(n + 1)(2n + 7)
1 × 3 + 2 × 4 + 3 × 5 + ! + n(n + 2) = .
6
n(n + 1)
(b) Hence, according to the formula 1 + 2 + 3 + ! + n = , deduce the formula for evaluating
2
1 × 6 + 2 × 7 + 3 × 8 + ! + n(n + 5).

2.2
15. (a) Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n,
n(n + 1)(4n + 11)
1 × 5 + 2 × 7 + 3 × 9 + ! + n(2n + 3) = .
6
n(n + 1)(2n + 1)
(b) Hence, according to the formula 12 + 22 + 32 + ! + n 2 = , deduce the formula for evaluating
6
2 × 7 + 4 × 11 + 6 × 15 + ! + 2n(4n + 3).

16. Let a1 = 3 and ak +1 = 3ak + 2k − 3, where k is a positive integer. Prove, by mathematical induction, that for
all positive integers n, an = 3n − n + 1.

17. Let Tn = n ⋅ n! for any positive integer n. Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n,
T1 + T2 + ! + Tn = (n + 1)! − 1.
[ Hint: n ! = n(n − 1)(n − 2) ! 3 ⋅ 2 ⋅ 1 ]

1 1
18. It is given that 1 + 2 + 3 + ! + n = n(n + 1) and 12 + 22 + 32 + ! + n 2 = n(n + 1)(2n + 1) . Prove, by
2 6
mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n,
1
1 × 2 × n + 2 × 3 × (n − 1) + 3 × 4 × (n − 2) + ! + n(n + 1) × 1 = n(n + 1)(n + 2)(n + 3) .
12

1 3 1 1 4 1 1 1 5
19. Consider (1 − ) = , (1 − )(1 − ) = , (1 − )(1 − )(1 − ) = .
4 4 4 9 6 4 9 16 8
n
1
(a) Deduce the formula for evaluating S n = ∏[1 − (r + 1)2 ], where n is a positive integer.
r =1
(b) Prove, by mathematical induction, that the formula obtained in (a) is true for all positive integers n.

2.3

© 2009 Chung Tai Educational Press. All rights reserved.

20. The following is a sequence:
1 1 1
, , ,!
1+ 3 3+ 5 5+ 7
(a) Observe the pattern of the sequence and write down the general term of the sequence Tn .

(b) (i) Rationalize the denominator of the general term of the sequence.
(ii) Hence deduce the formula for evaluating S n = T1 + T2 + T3 + ! + Tn, where n is a positive integer.

(c) Prove, by mathematical induction, that the formula obtained in (b)(ii) is true for all positive integers n.

1 1
21. Consider a positive sequence T1, T2 , T3 , !, Tn , !, where T1 + T2 + T3 + ! + Tn = (Tn + ).
2 Tn
(a) Find the values of T1 , T2 and T3 .

(b) Write down the general term of the sequence.

(c) Prove, by mathematical induction, that the general term obtained in (b) is true for all positive integers n.

1 A B
22. (a) If ≡ + , find the values of A and B.
x( x + 2) x x + 2
(b) Hence deduce the formula for evaluating
1 1 1 1
+ + +!+ , where n is a positive integer.
1× 3 2 × 4 3 × 5 n(n + 2)
(c) Prove, by mathematical induction, that the formula obtained in (b) is true for all positive integers n.

Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n, each of the following propositions is true.
(23 − 26)
23. 6n − 1 is divisible by 5.

24. 12n − 5n is divisible by 7.

2.4
25. n( n 2 + 5) is divisible by 3.

26. n(n + 1)(n + 2) is divisible by 3.

Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n, each of the following propositions is true.
(27 − 34)
27. 9( 2 n ) + 7 n is divisible by 5.

28. 7( 23n +1 ) + 5n is divisible by 3.

29. 42n +1 + 3n + 2 is divisible by 13.

30. 34n + 2 + 52n +1 is divisible by 14.

31. 15n + 2(8n ) − 3 is divisible by 7.

32. 13n + 24n − 1 is divisible by 18.

33. 7 n (3n + 1) − 1 is divisible by 9.

34. (6n + 35)(7 n ) + 37n is divisible by 36.

2.5

© 2009 Chung Tai Educational Press. All rights reserved.

35. Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n, a 2n −1 + b2n −1 is divisible by a + b .

36. (a) Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n, n3 + (n + 1)3 + (n + 2)3 is divisible by 9.
(b) Hence show that 323 + 2 × 403 + 3 × 483 + 2 × 563 + 643 is divisible by 72.

37. (a) Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n, 4 2 n +1 + 3(13n ) + 5 is divisible by 12.
(b) Hence determine whether 44 000 + 12(131 999 ) + 26 is divisible by 12. If not, find the remainder.

38. (a) Prove, by mathematical induction, that for all positive integers n, each of the following propositions
is true.
(i) 4n + 2 is divisible by 3.
(ii) 13(9 n ) + 3 is divisible by 8.

(b) Hence show that for all positive integers n, 2 2 n + 3 + 39(32 n ) + 25 is divisible by 24.

2.6