Proof by Induction - New to proofs
$begingroup$
totally new to proofs and found this challenge problem and struggling a bit. Any help would be appreciated!
There are some real numbers $x$ such that $x+frac{1}{x}$ is an
integer. For example, $2+sqrt{3}+frac{1}{2+sqrt{3}}=4$,
$1+frac{1}{1}=2$, and $2sqrt{6}-5+frac{1}{2sqrt{6}-5}=-10$.
Prove for all $xinmathbb{R}$ that if $x+frac{1}{x}$ is an integer,
then $x^n +frac{1}{x^n}$ also is an integer for all $ninmathbb{N}$.
induction
New contributor
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
totally new to proofs and found this challenge problem and struggling a bit. Any help would be appreciated!
There are some real numbers $x$ such that $x+frac{1}{x}$ is an
integer. For example, $2+sqrt{3}+frac{1}{2+sqrt{3}}=4$,
$1+frac{1}{1}=2$, and $2sqrt{6}-5+frac{1}{2sqrt{6}-5}=-10$.
Prove for all $xinmathbb{R}$ that if $x+frac{1}{x}$ is an integer,
then $x^n +frac{1}{x^n}$ also is an integer for all $ninmathbb{N}$.
induction
New contributor
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
I recommend this answer as a good start
$endgroup$
– Ross Millikan
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
math.stackexchange.com/questions/936479/…
$endgroup$
– lab bhattacharjee
1 hour ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
totally new to proofs and found this challenge problem and struggling a bit. Any help would be appreciated!
There are some real numbers $x$ such that $x+frac{1}{x}$ is an
integer. For example, $2+sqrt{3}+frac{1}{2+sqrt{3}}=4$,
$1+frac{1}{1}=2$, and $2sqrt{6}-5+frac{1}{2sqrt{6}-5}=-10$.
Prove for all $xinmathbb{R}$ that if $x+frac{1}{x}$ is an integer,
then $x^n +frac{1}{x^n}$ also is an integer for all $ninmathbb{N}$.
induction
New contributor
$endgroup$
totally new to proofs and found this challenge problem and struggling a bit. Any help would be appreciated!
There are some real numbers $x$ such that $x+frac{1}{x}$ is an
integer. For example, $2+sqrt{3}+frac{1}{2+sqrt{3}}=4$,
$1+frac{1}{1}=2$, and $2sqrt{6}-5+frac{1}{2sqrt{6}-5}=-10$.
Prove for all $xinmathbb{R}$ that if $x+frac{1}{x}$ is an integer,
then $x^n +frac{1}{x^n}$ also is an integer for all $ninmathbb{N}$.
induction
induction
New contributor
New contributor
New contributor
asked 1 hour ago
RobinRobin
261
261
New contributor
New contributor
$begingroup$
I recommend this answer as a good start
$endgroup$
– Ross Millikan
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
math.stackexchange.com/questions/936479/…
$endgroup$
– lab bhattacharjee
1 hour ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I recommend this answer as a good start
$endgroup$
– Ross Millikan
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
math.stackexchange.com/questions/936479/…
$endgroup$
– lab bhattacharjee
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
I recommend this answer as a good start
$endgroup$
– Ross Millikan
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
I recommend this answer as a good start
$endgroup$
– Ross Millikan
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
math.stackexchange.com/questions/936479/…
$endgroup$
– lab bhattacharjee
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
math.stackexchange.com/questions/936479/…
$endgroup$
– lab bhattacharjee
1 hour ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
HINT: Note that for $ngeq1$ you have
$$left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)=left(x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}right)+left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
For more details, hover over the the block below:
The equation above can be rewritten to get
$$x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}=left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)-left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
If the three terms in parentheses on the right hand side are integers, then so is the left hand side. Now to use induction, all you need is that $x^n+frac{1}{x^n}$ is an integer for $n=0$ and $n=1$.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
});
});
}, "mathjax-editing");
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "69"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: true,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: 10,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Robin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmath.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f3134247%2fproof-by-induction-new-to-proofs%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
HINT: Note that for $ngeq1$ you have
$$left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)=left(x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}right)+left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
For more details, hover over the the block below:
The equation above can be rewritten to get
$$x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}=left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)-left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
If the three terms in parentheses on the right hand side are integers, then so is the left hand side. Now to use induction, all you need is that $x^n+frac{1}{x^n}$ is an integer for $n=0$ and $n=1$.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
HINT: Note that for $ngeq1$ you have
$$left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)=left(x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}right)+left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
For more details, hover over the the block below:
The equation above can be rewritten to get
$$x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}=left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)-left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
If the three terms in parentheses on the right hand side are integers, then so is the left hand side. Now to use induction, all you need is that $x^n+frac{1}{x^n}$ is an integer for $n=0$ and $n=1$.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
HINT: Note that for $ngeq1$ you have
$$left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)=left(x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}right)+left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
For more details, hover over the the block below:
The equation above can be rewritten to get
$$x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}=left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)-left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
If the three terms in parentheses on the right hand side are integers, then so is the left hand side. Now to use induction, all you need is that $x^n+frac{1}{x^n}$ is an integer for $n=0$ and $n=1$.
$endgroup$
HINT: Note that for $ngeq1$ you have
$$left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)=left(x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}right)+left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
For more details, hover over the the block below:
The equation above can be rewritten to get
$$x^{n+1}+frac{1}{x^{n+1}}=left(x^n+frac{1}{x^n}right)left(x+frac{1}{x}right)-left(x^{n-1}+frac{1}{x^{n-1}}right).$$
If the three terms in parentheses on the right hand side are integers, then so is the left hand side. Now to use induction, all you need is that $x^n+frac{1}{x^n}$ is an integer for $n=0$ and $n=1$.
answered 1 hour ago
ServaesServaes
26.5k33997
26.5k33997
add a comment |
add a comment |
Robin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Robin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Robin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Robin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to Mathematics Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmath.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f3134247%2fproof-by-induction-new-to-proofs%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
$begingroup$
I recommend this answer as a good start
$endgroup$
– Ross Millikan
1 hour ago
$begingroup$
math.stackexchange.com/questions/936479/…
$endgroup$
– lab bhattacharjee
1 hour ago