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Assignment 1

This document outlines 9 math problems and 1 proof related to mathematical foundations of computer science. Students are asked to identify errors in bogus proofs, evaluate the correctness of purported proofs, prove various statements using techniques like proof by contradiction, well-ordering principle, ordinary induction, and strong induction. The problems cover topics like arithmetic mean, logarithms, Fibonacci numbers, coin sums in envelopes, and bounding integers with fractions. Students are instructed to show their work formally when using induction proofs.

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Solai Adithya
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97 views

Assignment 1

This document outlines 9 math problems and 1 proof related to mathematical foundations of computer science. Students are asked to identify errors in bogus proofs, evaluate the correctness of purported proofs, prove various statements using techniques like proof by contradiction, well-ordering principle, ordinary induction, and strong induction. The problems cover topics like arithmetic mean, logarithms, Fibonacci numbers, coin sums in envelopes, and bounding integers with fractions. Students are instructed to show their work formally when using induction proofs.

Uploaded by

Solai Adithya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mathematical Foundations of CS (CS 208)

Assignment 1

Due: September 29, 2020

Note: Each question will be graded as per the following criteria:

(a) 5 - Thorough understanding of the topic and conceptual clarity


(b) 4 - Adequate understanding of the topic and conceptual clarity
(c) 3 - Some understanding of the topic and conceptual clarity
(d) 2 or 1 - Poor understanding of the topic and messed up concepts

1. Identify where the bug is in the following bogus proof.


Bogus Claim: If a and b are two equal real numbers, then a = 0.
Bogus Proof:

a=b
a2 = ab
a2 − b2 = ab − b2
(a − b)(a + b) = (a − b)b
a+b=b
a = 0.

2. It’s known that the Arithmetic Mean is at least as large as the Geometric Mean, namely,

a+b √
≥ ab
2
for all nonnegative real numbers a and b. A student came up with the following proof for this fact. Is it correct? If not,
then what is your objection and how would you fix it?
Purported Proof:

a+b ? √
≥ ab
2
? √
a + b ≥ 2 ab
?
a2 + 2ab + b2 ≥ 4ab
?
a2 − 2ab + b2 ≥ 0
(a − b)2 ≥ 0 which is known to be true.

3. Using proof by contradiction, prove that for any n > 0, if an is even, then a is even.
4. Prove that log4 6 is irrational.

1
5. Use Well Ordering Principle to prove that:

(a) for any n > 0, if an is even, then a is even


(b) there is no solution over the positive integers to the equation: 4a3 + 2b3 = c3 .
(c) any integer greater than or equal to 8 can be represented as the sum of nonnegative integer multiples of 3 and 5.
6. Prove by ordinary induction on n that

rn+1 − 1
1 + r + r2 + . . . + rn =
r−1
for all n ∈ N and numbers r 6= 1.
Remember to formally
(a) Declare proof by induction.
(b) Identify the induction hypothesis P (n).
(c) Establish the base case.
(d) Prove that P (n) =⇒ P (n + 1).
(e) Conclude that P (n) holds for all n ≥ 1.

as in the five part template.


7. The n-th Fibonacci number is defined by the equations:

F (0) := 0,
F (1) := 1,
F (n) := F (n − 1) + F (n − 2), n ≥ 2.

Prove by ordinary induction that for all n ≥ 1,


2
F (n − 1) · F (n + 1) − F (n) = (−1)n .

8. You are given envelopes, numbered 0, 1, . . . , n − 1. Envelope 0 contains 20 = 1 rupees. Envelope 1 contains 21 = 2
rupees, ..., and Envelope n − 1 contains 2n−1 rupees. Let P (n) be the assertion that:
For all nonnegative integers k < 2n , there is a subset of the n envelopes whose contents total to exactly k rupees.
Prove by ordinary induction that P (n) holds for all integers n ≥ 1. Prove the same using the strong induction. Which of
the two proofs you prefer and why?
9. A group of n ≥ 1 people can be divided into teams, each containing either 4 or 7 people. What are the possible values of
n? Use both, ordinary and strong inductions to prove that your answer is correct.

10. Use strong induction to prove that n ≤ 3n/3 for every integer n ≥ 0.

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