Assignment CP1 - Proof by Induction

Exam Questions - Standard Level

1. The sequence u1 , u2 , u3 , . . . is defined by un = n2 + 3n, for all positive integers n.

(i) Show that un+1 − un = 2n + 4.

(ii) Hence prove by induction that each term of the sequence is divisible by 2.

2. Prove by induction that, for n ≥ 1,

n
X 1
r3 = n2 (n + 1)2 .
4
r=1

3. The sequence u1 , u2 , u3 , . . . is defined by u1 = 1 and un+1 = un + 2n + 1.

(i) Show that u4 = 16.

(ii) Hence suggest an expression for un .
(iii) Use induction to prove that your answer to part (ii) is correct.

4. It is given that un = 13n + 6n−1 , where n is a positive integer.

(i) Show that un + un+1 = 14 × 13n + 7 × 6n−1 .

(ii) Prove by induction that un is a multiple of 7.

5. Prove by induction that, for n ∈ Z+ ,

f (n) = 5n + 8n + 3

is divisible by 4.

6.
f (n) = 2n + 6n

(a) Show that f (k + 1) = 6f (k) − 4(2k ).

(b) Hence, or otherwise, prove by induction that, for n ∈ Z+ , f (n) is divisible by 8.

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 7. The sequence u1 , u2 , u3 , . . . is defined by u1 = 3 and un+1 = 3un − 2.

(i) Find u2 and u3 and verify that 12 (u4 − 1) = 27.

(ii) Hence suggest an expression for un .
(iii) Use induction to prove that your answer to part (ii) is correct.

8. Prove by induction that, for n ≥ 1,

n
X 1
r(r + 1) = n(n + 1)(n + 2).
3
r=1

9. Prove by induction that, for n ≥ 1,

n
X 1 n
= .
r(r + 1) n+1
r=1

10. Prove by induction that, for n ≥ 1,

n
X
4 × 3r = 6(3n − 1).
r=1

un
11. The sequence u1 , u2 , u3 , . . . is defined by u1 = 2 and un+1 = 1+un , for n ≥ 1.

(a) Find u2 and u3 , and show that u4 = 27 .

(b) Hence suggest an expression for un .
(c) Use induction to prove that your answer to part (ii) is correct.

12. Prove by induction that, for n ∈ Z+ ,

f (n) = 72n−1 + 5

is divisible by 12.

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 13. Prove by induction that, for n ∈ Z+ ,

f (n) = 22n−1 + 32n−1

is divisible by 5.

14. Prove by induction that n! > n2 + n for all integers n ≥ 4.

15. Prove by induction that 2n > n2 for all integers n ≥ 5.

16. Prove by induction that 3n > 5 × 2n for all integers n ≥ 4.

17. Prove by induction that

sin(2nx)
cos x + cos 3x + cos 5x + · · · + cos [(2n − 1)x] = .
2 sin x

18. Prove by induction that every positive integer power of 14 can be written as the sum
of squares of three distinct positive integers.

Problem Solving
Z e
1. Let In = (ln x)n dx, where n is a positive integer.
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d
(i) By considering (x(ln(x))n ), or otherwise, show that In = e − nIn−1 .
dx
In
(ii) Let Jn = . Prove by induction that
n!
n
X (−1)r 1
= (1 + (−1)n Jn )
r! e
r=2

for all positive integers n ≥ 2.

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2. Use induction to prove that
n   
X 2 2 1 1
= −
4r − 1 4r + 3 3 4n + 3
r=1

for all positive integers n.

3. (i) The sequence of Fibonacci Numbers Fn is given by F1 = 1, F2 = 1 and

Fn+1 = Fn + Fn−1 ,
for n ≥ 2.
Write down the values of F3 to F6 .
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(ii) The sequence of functions p(n) is given by p1 (x) = x + 1 and pn+1 (x) = 1 +
pn (x)
for n ≥ 1.
(a) Find p2 (x) and p3 (x), giving each answer as a single algebraic fraction, and
3x + 5
show that p4 (x) = .
2x + 3
(b) Conjecture an expression for pn (x) as a single algebraic fraction involving
Fibonacci numbers, and prove it by induction for all integers n ≥ 2.

4. (i) Write down the values of the constants a and b for which

1 1
m5 ≡ m3 (am2 + 2) − m2 (bm).
6 12

(ii) Prove by induction that

n
X 1 1
r5 = n3 (n + 1)3 − n2 (n + 1)2
6 12
r=1

for all positive integers n.

5. Given y = xe2x ,

(i) find the first four derivatives of y with respect to x,

dn y
(ii) conjecture an expression for in the form (ax + b)e2x , where a and b are
dxn
functions of n,
(iii) prove by induction that your result holds for all positive integers.

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 6. Prove that for any real number x > −1 and any positive integer n, (1 + x)n ≥ 1 + nx.

7. Prove the following theorem (Theorem 1) by induction.

Theorem 1. Let n be a positive integer and let x, y be any numbers. Then

! ! !
n n n
(x + y)n = xn + · · · + xn−i y i + · · · + yn
0 i n

!
n n!
where for 0 ≤ k ≤ n, is defined to be k!(n−k)! (and is known as a binomial
k
coefficient).

You may use the following result without proof:

Proposition 1.1. Let n, k ∈ N+ , with 0 < k < n. Then

! ! !
n n−1 n−1
= +
k k−1 k

Challenge

1. The Fibonacci sequence is the sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, . . . where each term is the sum
of the two preceding terms.
Show that every two successive terms of the Fibonacci sequence are relatively prime.

2. Three rods have lengths a, b and c, where a < b < c. The three rods can be made into
a triangle (possibly of zero area) if a + b ≥ c.
Let Tn be the number of triangles that can be made with three rods chosen from n
rods of lengths 1, 2, 3, . . . , n (where n ≥ 3). Show that T8 − T7 = 2 + 4 + 6 and
evaluate T8 − T6 . Write down expressions for T2m − T2m−1 and T2m − T2m−2 .
Prove by induction that T2m = 16 m(m − 1)(4m + 1) , and find the corresponding result
for an odd number of rods.

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3. The functions Tn (x), for n = 0, 1, 2, . . . , satisfy the recurrence relation

Tn+1 (x) − 2xTn (x) + Tn−1 (x) = 0 (n ≥ 1). (∗)

Show by induction that

(Tn (x))2 − Tn−1 (x)Tn+1 (x) = f (x) ,

where f (x) = (T1 (x))2 − T0 (x)T2 (x) .

In the case f (x) ≡ 0, determine (with proof) an expression for Tn (x) in terms of
T1 (x)
T0 (x) (assumed to be non-zero) and r(x), where r(x) = . Find the two possible
T0 (x)
expressions for r(x) in terms of x.