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mathematical induction step 4 (1 Viewer)

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I remember Carrot making his vast, powerful conclusion of:


 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
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Since the statement is true for n=k and n=k+1 then it is true for n=1, 2, 3, 4, 5... Hence it is true for all integers n>/=1 by mathematical induction.
You probably won't have marks taken off for this, but it's not correct. If you were to take this approach you'd have to say:

"Since the statement is true for n=k+1, if it is true for n=k, then it is true for n=1, 2, 3, 4, 5... Hence it is true for all integers n>/=1 by mathematical induction."

Because you haven't proven that it is true for n=k. You have only shown that if it is in fact true for n=k, then it is also true for n=k+1. The induction comes into play by first proving it is true for n=1, which then implies it must be true for all integers that follow as in this case k=1.
 

Lieutenant_21

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You probably won't have marks taken off for this, but it's not correct. If you were to take this approach you'd have to say:

"Since the statement is true for n=k+1, if it is true for n=k, then it is true for n=1, 2, 3, 4, 5... Hence it is true for all integers n>/=1 by mathematical induction."

Because you haven't proven that it is true for n=k. You have only shown that if it is in fact true for n=k, then it is also true for n=k+1. The induction comes into play by first proving it is true for n=1, which then implies it must be true for all integers that follow as in this case k=1.
Thanks for the correction :)
 

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