The product of two positive numbers \(a\) and \(b\) is greater than \(100\). Prove that at least one of the numbers is greater than \(10\).
Often in maths we want to prove statements of the form “If A, then B.” For example: “If a number is divisible by \(4\), then it’s even.”
Usually, we prove such statements using something called a direct proof. In the example above, a direct proof would start by imagining we have some number — we don’t know which one — but we know it has the property “divisible by \(4\)”, and then using this information to work out that the number must be even.
However, this kind of direct reasoning can sometimes be tricky. Luckily, there’s another way! The idea is that a statement of the form “If A, then B” means exactly the same thing as “If not \(B\), then not \(A\).”
This second way of writing it is called the contrapositive, and we call “not \(B\)” the negation of \(B\). Here’s an everyday example: “If it rains, then I take my umbrella." is exactly the same as saying “If I don’t take my umbrella, then it’s not raining."
When we use this method in maths, we often say we’re proving by contrapositive: instead of proving “If \(A\) then \(B\)”, we prove “If not \(B\) then not \(A\).” Using this idea, to prove the example above, it would be the same as to prove the statement: ”If a number is not even, then it’s not divisible by \(4\)".
We sometimes write “If \(A\) then \(B\)” as \(A \implies B\), which is pronounced “\(A\) implies \(B\)”. Its contrapositive is: \(\text{not }B \implies \text{not }A.\) This way of thinking often makes a proof much simpler. Let’s see some examples to learn how to use this method.
Write the contrapositive of the statement “If it is sunny outside, then I put on sunscreen and wear sunglasses”
What is the contrapositive of the statement: “If the temperature is above \(40^\circ\)C or below \(-10^\circ\)C, then it is not safe to go outside."
Some lines are drawn on a large sheet of paper so that all of them meet at one point. Show that if there are at least \(10\) lines, then there must be two lines whose angle between them is at most \(18^\circ\).
A whole number \(n\) has the property that when you multiply it by \(3\) and then add \(2\), the result is odd. Use proof by contrapositive to show that \(n\) itself must be odd.
Hello! I have a trick for you. Think of a number, which we call the original number from now on. Do the following:
Add fifteen to the original number.
Multiply the resulting number by four.
Add eight times the original number to the new result.
Divide by six.
Subtract twice the original number.
But I already know the finally answer! How?
Calculate the left side and the right side. \[2\times(12+3)\quad\quad 2\times 12 + 2\times 3\] \[3\times(0.8+1)\quad\quad 3\times 0.8 + 3\times 1\] \[(-2)\times (3-5)\quad\quad (-2)\times 3 + (-2)\times (-5)\] What do you notice?
Show that for any number \(a,b,c,d\), we have \((a+b)(c+d) = ac + ad + bc + bd\).
Expand \((x_1+\dots + x_n)^2\) where \(x_1,\dots,x_n\) are real numbers.