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Use A Direct Proof To Show That The Sum of Two Even Integers Is Even

1. Use a direct proof to show that the sum of two even integers is even. The proof examines the 45 combinations of sums of two cubes less than 1000 and shows that none of them equals another cube on the list, proving no cube less than 1000 is the sum of two cubes. 2. Show that the additive inverse, or negative, of an even number is an even number using a direct proof. The proof considers three cases depending on which number is smallest and shows the left and right sides are equal in each case. 3. Use a direct proof to show that the product of two odd numbers is odd. The proof uses the base case of 1 and shows its only factor is itself, making the

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211 views1 page

Use A Direct Proof To Show That The Sum of Two Even Integers Is Even

1. Use a direct proof to show that the sum of two even integers is even. The proof examines the 45 combinations of sums of two cubes less than 1000 and shows that none of them equals another cube on the list, proving no cube less than 1000 is the sum of two cubes. 2. Show that the additive inverse, or negative, of an even number is an even number using a direct proof. The proof considers three cases depending on which number is smallest and shows the left and right sides are equal in each case. 3. Use a direct proof to show that the product of two odd numbers is odd. The proof uses the base case of 1 and shows its only factor is itself, making the

Uploaded by

reybi tubil
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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1. Use a direct proof to show that the sum of two even integers is even.

The cubes that might go into the sum are 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216, 343, 512, and 729. We must
show that no two of these sum to a number on this list. If we try the 45 combinations (1+1,
1+8, ... , 1+729, 8+8, 8 + 27, ... 8 + 729, ... , 729 + 729), we see that none of them works. Having
exhausted the possibilities, we conclude that no cube less than 1000 is the sum of two cubes.
2. Show that the additive inverse, or negative, of an even number is an even number using a direct
proof.
There are three main cases, depending on which of the three numbers is smallest. If a is smallest
(or tied for
smallest), then clearly a ≤ min(b, c), and so the left-hand side equals a. On the other hand, for
the right-hand
side we have min(a, c) = a as well. In the second case, b is smallest (or tied for smallest). The
same reasoning
shows us that the right-hand side equals b; and the left-hand side is min(a, b) = b as well. In the
final case,
in which c is smallest (or tied for smallest), the left-hand side is min(a, c) = c, whereas the right-
hand side is
clearly also c. Since one of the three has to be smallest we have taken care of all the cases.
3. Use a direct proof to show that the product of two odd numbers is odd.
The number 1 has this property, since the only positive integer not exceeding 1 is 1 itself, and
therefore the
sum is 1. This is a constructive proof.
4. Prove that if n is a perfect square, then n + 2 is not a perfect square.
The only perfect squares that differ by 1 are 0 and 1. Therefore these two consecutive integers
cannot both be perfect squares. This is a nonconstructive proof—we do not know which of them
meets the requirement. (In fact, a computer algebra system will tell us that neither of them is a
perfect square.)
5. Use a direct proof to show that the product of two rational numbers is rational.
Of these three numbers, at least two must have the same sign (both positive or both negative),
since there are
only two signs. (It is conceivable that some of them are zero, but we view zero as positive for the
purposes of
this problem.) The product of two with the same sign is nonnegative. This was a nonconstructive
proof, since
we have not identified which product is nonnegative. (In fact, a computer algebra system will
tell us that all
three are positive, so all three products are positive.)

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