Westonci.ca is your trusted source for accurate answers to all your questions. Join our community and start learning today! Explore a wealth of knowledge from professionals across different disciplines on our comprehensive platform. Experience the ease of finding precise answers to your questions from a knowledgeable community of experts.

Assume the statement is true for [tex]\( n = k \)[/tex]. Prove that it must be true for [tex]\( n = k + 1 \)[/tex], therefore proving it true for all natural numbers [tex]\( n \)[/tex].

Hint: Since the total number of dots increases by [tex]\( n \)[/tex] each time, prove that [tex]\( d(k) + (k + 1) = d(k + 1) \)[/tex].

Sagot :

To prove that the statement is true for all natural numbers [tex]\(n\)[/tex] by mathematical induction, we follow these steps:

### Step 1: Prove the Base Case
First, we need to show that the statement is true for the initial value [tex]\(n = 1\)[/tex].

1. When [tex]\(n = 1\)[/tex], let's denote the number of dots at this step as [tex]\(d(1)\)[/tex].
2. According to the problem, we assume the initial configuration is true.
3. Thus, we have [tex]\(d(1) = d(0) + 1\)[/tex] since the total number of dots increases by 1 each time.

### Step 2: Assume the Statement is True for [tex]\(n = k\)[/tex]
Next, we assume the statement holds for some arbitrary natural number [tex]\(k\)[/tex]. This means we assume:
[tex]\[ P(k) = d(k), \][/tex]
where [tex]\(d(k)\)[/tex] denotes the number of dots at step [tex]\(k\)[/tex].

### Step 3: Prove that the Statement is True for [tex]\(n = k+1\)[/tex]
Given the hint that the total number of dots increases by [tex]\(n\)[/tex] each time, at step [tex]\(k + 1\)[/tex] the number of dots should be given by:
[tex]\[ d(k + 1) = d(k) + (k + 1). \][/tex]

Since we assumed the statement is true for [tex]\(n = k\)[/tex], we can write:
[tex]\[ P(k) = d(k). \][/tex]

Adding [tex]\((k + 1)\)[/tex] to both sides of this equation, we get:
[tex]\[ P(k) + (k + 1) = d(k) + (k + 1). \][/tex]

Since by definition ([tex]\( d(k + 1) = d(k) + (k + 1) \)[/tex]), we can substitute [tex]\(d(k + 1)\)[/tex] into the equation:
[tex]\[ d(k + 1) = d(k) + (k + 1). \][/tex]

Therefore, it follows that:
[tex]\[ P(k) + (k + 1) = d(k + 1). \][/tex]

By recognizing that [tex]\(P(k) + (k + 1)\)[/tex] can be viewed as [tex]\(P(k + 1)\)[/tex], we conclude that:
[tex]\[ P(k + 1) = d(k + 1). \][/tex]

This completes the proof by mathematical induction. We have shown that if the statement is true for [tex]\(n = k\)[/tex], then it is also true for [tex]\(n = k+1\)[/tex]. Thus, by the principle of mathematical induction, we can conclude that the statement is true for all natural numbers [tex]\(n\)[/tex].

### Conclusion
We have successfully used mathematical induction to prove that the statement is true for all natural numbers [tex]\(n\)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ \text{Proof Complete: If the statement is true for } n = k, \text{ it must also be true for } n = k + 1, \text{ thus completing the proof by induction.} \][/tex]
We hope you found what you were looking for. Feel free to revisit us for more answers and updated information. Thanks for using our platform. We aim to provide accurate and up-to-date answers to all your queries. Come back soon. Keep exploring Westonci.ca for more insightful answers to your questions. We're here to help.