CS 30
Methods of Proof
Prove the following statements: 1. Gene is taking Stat 130, which has three tests, each worth 100 points. She would like to achieve a test average of over 80. However, she is very uncomfortable with the material on the first test. Show that if Gene gets at most a 40 on the first test, then she can achieve an average of at most 80. Proof: Let t1 , t2 , t3 be Gene’s test scores in the first, second and third tests respectively. Thus, from the premise, t1 ≤ 40, t2 ≤ 100 and t3 ≤ 100. But t1 + t2 + t3 40 + 100 + 100 Average(t1 , t2 , t3 ) = ≤ = 80 3 3 by the laws of inequality. That is, Gene can achieve an average of at most 80. 2. Show that there is a set A such that |℘(A)| = |A × A|. Proof: Let A = {1, 2}. Then ℘(A) = {∅, {1}, {2}, {1, 2}} and A × A = {(1, 1), (1, 2), (2, 1), (2, 2)}. Hence, |℘(A)| = 4 and |A × A| = 4. Therefore, there is a set A such that |℘(A)| = |A × A|. 3. Show that for all sets A, B, C, (A ∩ B)\C = (A\C) ∩ (B\C). Proof: We first show that (A ∩ B)\C ⊆ (A\C) ∩ (B\C). x ∈ (A ∩ B)\C ⇒ x ∈ (A ∩ B) ∧ x 6∈ C ⇒ (x ∈ A ∨ x ∈ B) ∧ x 6∈ C ⇒ (x ∈ A ∧ x 6∈ C) ∨ (x ∈ B ∧ x 6∈ C) ⇒ (x ∈ A\C) ∨ (x ∈ B\C) ⇒ x ∈ (A\C) ∩ (B\C)
definition of \ definition of ∩ De Morgan’s Law definition of \ definition of ∩
Hence, (A ∩ B)\C ⊆ (A\C) ∩ (B\C). Next we show that (A\C) ∩ (B\C) ⊆ (A ∩ B)\C. x ∈ (A\C) ∩ (B\C) ⇒ (x ∈ A\C) ∨ (x ∈ B\C) ⇒ (x ∈ A ∧ x 6∈ C) ∨ (x ∈ B ∧ x 6∈ C) ⇒ (x ∈ A ∨ x ∈ B) ∧ x 6∈ C ⇒ x ∈ (A ∩ B) ∧ x 6∈ C ⇒ x ∈ (A ∩ B)\C
definition of ∩ definition of \ De Morgan’s Law definition of ∩ definition of \