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17 votes
2 answers
19k views

Proof there is a rational between any two reals

This is a problem from Rudin, but I wanted to add my own intuition to it. It uses Rudin's definition of Archimedean property. I'd just like to know if my version holds If $x \in \mathbb R$, $y\in \...
Good Morning Captain's user avatar
7 votes
5 answers
2k views

Is this direct proof of an inequality wrong?

My professor graded my proof as a zero, and I'm having a hard time seeing why it would be graded as such. Either he made a mistake while grading or I'm lacking in my understanding. Hopefully someone ...
Ravarion's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
11k views

How to prove that every real number is the limit of a convergent sequence of rational numbers?

Here is my procedure: so we want to prove $\forall r\in \mathbb{R},$ there exists a sequence $q_n$ of rationals such that $\forall\epsilon\gt 0,$ there exists a $N$ such that $n\gt N\implies |q_n-r|\...
CoolKid's user avatar
  • 2,756
6 votes
1 answer
202 views

Different definitions of the archimedean property

In some textbooks I have seen the archimedean property defined as: for some positive real $x$, real number $y$, there exists a natural $n$ such that $nx>y$. In other textbooks the archimedean ...
Elimination_matrices's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
12k views

Proof clarification - If $ab = 0$ then $a = 0$ or $b =0$

I came across a proof for the following theorem in Apostol Calculus 1. My question is regarding (1) in the proof, why is this part necessary? I don't see why you can't begin with (2) Theorem 1.11 If ...
YetiMountainButter's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
3k views

How to prove the power set of the rationals is uncountable?

Recently a professor of mine remarked that the rational numbers make an "incomplete" field, because not every subsequence of rational numbers tends to another rational number - the easiest example ...
Rob's user avatar
  • 7,252
3 votes
2 answers
69 views

Regarding $x < y \Rightarrow x^n < y^n$ proof rigor.

I came across the implication $$x < y \Rightarrow x^n < y^n$$ $$x,y>0, n\in Z^+$$ in a textbook and came up with the following proof. Proof Since $x<y$ the following chain of inequalities ...
John Dough's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
807 views

Proving that a sequence converges to L

Given a sequence $(a_{n})_{n=1}^{\infty}$ that is bounded. Let $L \in R$. Suppose that for every subsequence $(a_{n{_{k}}})_{k=1}^{\infty}$ , either $$\lim_{k \to \infty}a_{n{_{k}}} = L$$ or $(a_{n{_{...
Viktor Raspberry's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

$x^n y^n = (xy)^n$, proof exercise

As an exercise, I tried to prove the following theorem. Please share your thoughts about what I wrote. (The proof only uses the utensils which are listed below.) Theorem \begin{equation*} x^n y^n ...
DracoMalfoy's user avatar
  • 1,321
3 votes
1 answer
128 views

Exercise about sub-$\sigma$-algebra of $\mathcal{B}(\mathbb{R})$

Let $C=\{(-a, a): a \in \mathbb{R}\}$ and $F=\sigma(C)$. Prove that $F=\mathcal{B}(\mathbb{R})\cap\{A\subseteq\mathbb{R}: A=-A\}$. I don't have problems in proving $F\subseteq \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{R})\...
user's user avatar
  • 319
3 votes
0 answers
190 views

My first simple direct proof (very simple theorem on real numbers). Please mark/grade.

What do you think about my first simple direct proof? What mark/grade would you give me? Besides, I am curious about whether you like the style. Theorem Let $I = [a,b]$ be a non-empty closed ...
DracoMalfoy's user avatar
  • 1,321
2 votes
2 answers
3k views

If sup A $\lt$ sup B show that an element of $B$ is an upper bound of $A$

(a) If sup A < sup B, show that there exists an element of $b \in B$ that is an upper bound for $A$. I have argued that if sup A $\lt$ sup B, then choose an $\epsilon>0$ such that sup A +$\...
Bunny's user avatar
  • 3,306
2 votes
1 answer
87 views

Alternative proof of $a\times0= 0$

I was trying to find a proof of $a\times0 = 0$ by myself (assuming commutativity, associativity, distributivity, etc) and I came up with $$ a+0=a(1) \implies 1 = \frac{a+0}{a} = \frac aa + \frac 0a = ...
ErdösNumberOf0's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
398 views

My first proof employing the pigeonhole principle / dirichlet's box principle - very simple theorem on real numbers. Please mark/grade.

What do you think about my first proof employing the pigeonhole principle? What mark/grade would you give me? Besides, I am curious about whether you like the style. Theorem Among three elements of ...
DracoMalfoy's user avatar
  • 1,321
2 votes
1 answer
322 views

Bad Proof? Between any two reals is a rational number

I know about the proof found here: Proof there is a rational between any two reals. I wanted to know if this similar proof is also correct? Assume $x > 0$. Since $y > x$, it follows $y-x>0$....
Humble-Data-22's user avatar

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