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Proof Formats For CS350: Recommended Format

This document discusses two proof formats for showing that Θ(g(n)) = O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)). The recommended format uses minimal English and focuses on the mathematical steps. An alternative format includes more detailed English explanations for each step but is more wordy. The document cautions that additional text can obscure the proof rather than clarify it for more experienced students.

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35 views

Proof Formats For CS350: Recommended Format

This document discusses two proof formats for showing that Θ(g(n)) = O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)). The recommended format uses minimal English and focuses on the mathematical steps. An alternative format includes more detailed English explanations for each step but is more wordy. The document cautions that additional text can obscure the proof rather than clarify it for more experienced students.

Uploaded by

Sevn Up
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Proof Formats for CS350

Andrew P. Black

In this note I recommend a format that has a minimal amount of English wrapped around the mathematics —
enough so that we can follow the argument, but not so much that it’s tedious to write.

Recommended format
We are required to prove that Θ(g(n)) = O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)). The proof is in two parts.
First we prove that Θ(g(n)) ⊆ O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)):

f (n) ∈ Θ(g(n)) [assumption] (1)


∃c1 , c2 , n0 : ∀n > n0 : c1 g(n) ≤ f (n) ≤ c2 g(n) [def. of Θ] (2)
f (n) ∈ O(g(n)) [def. of O and (2), letting c = c2 ] (3)
f (n) ∈ Ω(g(n)) [def. of Ω and (2), letting c = c1 ] (4)
Θ(g(n)) ⊆ O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)) [∀f : f ∈ Θ ⇒ f ∈ O ∧ f ∈ Ω] (5)

Then we prove that Θ(g(n)) ⊇ O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)):

f (n) ∈ O(g(n)) [assumption] (6)


f (n) ∈ Ω(g(n)) [assumption] (7)
∃c1 , n1 : ∀n > n1 : f (n) ≥ c1 g(n) [def. of Ω] (8)
∃c2 , n0 : ∀n > n0 : f (n) ≤ c2 g(n) [def. of O] (9)
∃c1 , c2 , n0 : ∀n > max(n0 , n1 ) : c1 g(n) ≤ f (n) ≤ c2 g(n) [combining (8) and (9) above] (10)
f (n) ∈ Θ(g(n)) [def. of Θ and (10)] (11)
Θ(g(n)) ⊇ O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)) [∀f : f ∈ O ∧ f ∈ Ω ⇒ f ∈ Θ] (12)

Combining these subset (5) and superset (12) results, we get

Θ(g(n)) = O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)) (13)

because A ⊆ B ∧ A ⊇ B ⇒ A = B
Q.E.D.

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Alternative format with more English


This alternative includes all of the math above, plus a lot more English explanation. I don’t have a problem
with you putting in more explanation than given above. Just remember, that the explanation doesn’t replace
the mathematics — the explanation supplements the mathematics.

We are required to prove that Θ(g(n)) = O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)). The proof is in two parts; here I’m showing
just the first part, because it’s wordy.
First we prove that Θ(g(n)) ⊆ O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)):
• We start by considering an arbitrary function f (n) that is in Θ(g(n))

f (n) ∈ Θ(g(n)) (14)

• From the definition of Θ we know that this means:

∃c1 , c2 , n0 : ∀n > n0 : c1 g(n) ≤ f (n) ≤ c2 g(n) (15)

• If we elide the first inequality, and substitute c for c2 , this gives us

∃c, n0 : ∀n > n0 : f (n) ≤ c g(n) (16)

which, from the definition of O, tells us

f (n) ∈ O(g(n)) (17)

• Similarly, if we elide the second inequality, and substitute c for c1 , this gives us

∃c, n0 : ∀n > n0 : c g(n) ≤ f (n) (18)

which, from the definition of Ω, tells us

f (n) ∈ Ω(g(n)) (19)

• From the definition of ∩ for sets, we know that line 17 and line 19 together imply that

f (n) ∈ O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)) (20)

• Recall the assumption (line 14) that f (n) was an arbitrary function in Θ(g(n)). So we have, using
line 14, the rule of universal generalization, and line 20

∀f : f (n) ∈ Θ(g(n)) =⇒ f (n) ∈ O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)) (21)

This implies that

Θ(g(n)) ⊆ O(g(n)) ∩ Ω(g(n)) (22)

Now you would need to do the same for the second (superset) part of the proof. You may find that this
format is clearer, but it’s a lot longer: remember that the above proof is just lines 1–5 of the recommended
format. More experienced students will find that the additional text obscures, rather than clarifies, what’s
going on.

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