OBSERVATIONS ON PROOFS

Alona Matulac Belarga, Ph.D.

WVSU, Iloilo City
OBSERVATION:
1. DEFINITION IS AN INTEGRAL
PART OF THE PROOF
 DEFINITION-IF AND ONLY IF
STATEMENT

ex. Definition of acute angle

2. HYPOTHESIS MAY BE CITED IN THE
PROOF
HYPOTHESIS-THE IF PART OF A
CONDITIONAL (IF-THEN STATEMENT)
Example: If two real numbers are
ven, then their sum is even.
The hypothesis is “two real numbers are
even” and the conclusion is “their sum is
even”
3. COUNTER EXAMPLE IS ONE WAY
OF SHOWING THAT THE
STATEMENT IS NOT A THEOREM

Ex. If a quadrilateral has a rightangle

then it is a rectangle.
This is not a theorem since you can
make a trapezoid with a right angle
which is a counter example.
4.NEVER TACITLY ASSUMED ANY
HYPOTHESIS THAT IS NOT EXPLICITLY
STATED. TAKE NOTE OF SOME WORDS LIKE
ONLY, FOR ALL, FOR EVERY, OR FOR SOME
THAT DO NOT ACTUALLY APPEAR.

 Ex. There are 4 real numbers which are less than

the measure of the right angle.

This is true since you can have measures

like 10, 45, 89, 30 degrees which are less
than 90 degrees. The statement does not
say only 4.
 5. A THEOREM CANNOT BE PROVED
BY GIVING SPECIFIC EXAMPLES
WHERE THE HYPOTHESIS IS TRUE
AND THE CONCLUSION IS TRUE.

Ex. The sum of 2 even numbers is even.

Proof: This is true since 2 +4 = 6; 6+ 8 = 14

Note: This is a wrong proof since we cannot

list all examples. We must show that for
all examples where the hypothesis are
true, the conclusion is also true.
 6. DO NOT TRY TO CONSTRUCT THE
PROOF THAT STARTS WITH A
CONCLUSION.
Ex. Prove 2 = 3
(This is a wrong proof although
all statements have correct reason)
Proof: 2 = 3
3=2
2+3 = 3 +2
5 = 5, Thus 2 = 3.
7. Theorem can be proven in
many ways

you can use paragraph form, 2

–column form, etc
you can use direct or indirect
methods
Direct Method
 May start with a hypothesis (If part or
given information)
 form new statements out of the given
 Use postulates, definitions, properties,
etc. until the conclusion (what to
proved) is reached and supported by
reasons
Indirect Method
 Usually starts with the negation of the
conclusion
 Form new statements out of this negation
 Use postulates, definitions, properties, etc to
formulate additional statements until a
contradiction (statement that contradicts
known information, properties, postulates,
etc) is reached/ or the two quantities are
equal
 Since the negation leads to the contradiction,
so it is false thus making the conclusion (what
to proved) true.
8. To prove existence and uniqueness of an
element, we need to show:

Part1: There exist such element

Part 2: That element is unique

This is also the process of proving to show

“exactness’ such as if you are proving
exactly 1 (uniquenes), or exactly 2
(exactness), or exactly 3 (exactness).
Proving Exercise
Prove that the intersection of
two lines b and c is a unique
point D. (by partner)
Equivalence of Playfair’s and
Euclid’s 5th (see the additional materials
and make comments on the proof.

1. Prove Euclid’s 5th using

Playfair’s
2. Prove Playfair’s using
Euclid’s 5th