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Math in Our World

Section 1.1
The Nature of Mathematical
Reasoning
Learning Objectives
 Identify two types of reasoning.
 Use inductive reasoning to form conjectures.
 Find a counterexample to disprove a
conjecture.
 Explain the difference between inductive and
deductive reasoning.
 Use deductive reasoning to prove a conjecture.
Reasoning is the process of logical
thinking.

Two Types
of
Reasoning

Inductive Deductive
Reasoning Reasoning
(Induction) (Deduction)
Inductive Reasoning
The process of reasoning that arrives at a
general conclusion based on the observation of
specific examples.
It involves…
•Looking for patterns
•Making a Conjecture (an educated guess)
EXAMPLE 1 Using Inductive Reasoning to
Find a Pattern

Use inductive reasoning to find a pattern, and then


find the next three numbers by using that pattern.

1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, __, __, __


EXAMPLE 1 Using Inductive Reasoning to
Find a Pattern
SOLUTION
To find the pattern, look at the first number and see how to
obtain the second number. Then look at the second
number and see how to obtain the third number, etc.
1 2 4 5 7 8 10 11 13 ___ ___ __
+1 +2 +1 +2 +1 +2 +1 +2 +1 +2 +1

The pattern seems to be to add 1, then add 2, then add 1,


then add 2, etc. So a reasonable conjecture for the next
three numbers is 14, 16, and 17.
EXAMPLE 2 Using Inductive Reasoning to
Find a Pattern

Make a reasonable conjecture for the next


figure in the sequence.
EXAMPLE 2 Using Inductive Reasoning to
Find a Pattern

SOLUTION The flat part of the figure is up,


right, down, and then left. There is a solid circle
in each figure. The sequence then repeats with
an open circle in each figure. So we could
reasonably expect the next figure to be .
EXAMPLE 3 Using Inductive Reasoning to
Make a Conjecture

When two odd numbers are added, will the


result always be an even number?

Use inductive reasoning to determine your


answer.
EXAMPLE 3 Using Inductive Reasoning to
Make a Conjecture

SOLUTION We will try several specific examples:


3  7  10 19  9  28 1 27  28
5  9  14 25  5  30 21 33  54
Since all the answers are even, it seems reasonable to
conclude that the sum of two odd numbers will be an
even
number. 
 
Note: Since the sum of every pair of odd numbers hasn’t been tried, we
can’t be 100% sure that the answer will always be an even number by
using inductive reasoning.
EXAMPLE 4 Using Inductive Reasoning to
Test a Conjecture

Use inductive reasoning to decide if the


following conjecture is true:

Any four-digit number is divisible by 11 if the


difference between the sum of the first and third
digits and the sum of the second and fourth
digits is divisible by 11.
EXAMPLE 4 Using Inductive Reasoning to
Test a Conjecture

SOLUTION We will try a couple of specific examples:


Since 15 – 4 = 11 and 11 is divisible by
1, 738 11, then 1,738 should be divisible by 11.
1+3=4 7+8=15 1, 738  11  158
1st plus 3rd, 2nd plus 4th
Conjecture true for this example!
Since 16 – 5 = 11 and 11 is divisible by
9, 273 11, then 9,273 should be divisible by 11.
9+7=16 2+3=5 9, 273  11  843
Conjecture true for this example!
Counterexample
One specific example that proves the
conjecture false. To find a counterexample…
•You must start with a number(s) or object(s) that
matches the premise of the conjecture.
•Pick them in a way that will give you an incorrect
response.
EXAMPLE 5 Finding a Counterexample

Find a counterexample that proves the


conjecture below is false.

Conjecture: A number is divisible by 3 if


the last two digits are divisible by 3.
EXAMPLE 5 Finding a Counterexample

SOLUTION We’ll pick a few numbers at random whose


last two digits are divisible by 3, then divide them by 3,
and see if there’s a remainder.
Start with 1,527: 1,527  3  509
Next 11,745: 11,745  3  3,915
At this point, you might start to suspect that the
conjecture is true, but you shouldn’t! We’ve only

checked two cases.
2
Now try1,136: 1,136  3  378
3
This counterexample shows that the conjecture is false.
EXAMPLE 6 Making and Testing a
Conjecture

Use inductive reasoning to make a conjecture


about the number of sections a circle is divided
into when a given number of points on the circle
are connected by chords.
(A chord is a line connecting two points on a circle.)
Then test the conjecture with one further example.
EXAMPLE 6 Making and Testing a
Conjecture

SOLUTION We’ll draw several circles, connect the points with


chords, and then count the sections.

Point(s) 1 2 3 4 5 6
Sections 1 2 4 8 16 ?
Looking at the pattern in the number of sections, we see that a
logical guess for the next number is 32. In fact, the number appears
to be 2 raised to the power of 1 less than the number of points. This
will be our conjecture.
Let’s see on the next slide how we did by checking with six points.
EXAMPLE 6 Making and Testing a
Conjecture

SOLUTION So how many sections are created with 6 points?

Uh oh…there are 31 sections!


It looks like our conjecture is not true.
Deductive Reasoning

The process of reasoning that arrives at


a conclusion based on previously
accepted general statements.

It does not rely on specific examples.


EXAMPLE 7 Using Deductive Reasoning to
Prove a Conjecture

Consider the following problem:


Think of any number. Multiply that number by 2,
then add 6, and divide the result by 2. Next
subtract the original number.
What is the result?
(a) Use inductive reasoning to make a
conjecture for the answer.
(b) Use deductive reasoning to prove your
conjecture.
EXAMPLE 7 Using Deductive Reasoning to
Prove a Conjecture

SOLUTION
(a) Inductive reasoning will be helpful in forming a conjecture.
We’ll choose a couple specific numbers at random and
perform the given operations to see what the result is.
Number: 12 5
Multiply by 2: 12  2  24 5  2  10
Add 6: 24  6  30 10  6  16
Divideby 2: 30  2 15 16  2  8
number: 15 12
Subtract the original  3 8 5  3
3 3
 Result: 
So we might form a conjecture that the result will always be
the number 3. But this doesn’t prove the conjecture, as
we’ve tried only two
of infinitely many possibilities.
 
EXAMPLE 7 Using Deductive Reasoning to
Prove a Conjecture
SOLUTION
(b) The problem with the inductive approach is that we can’t check
every possible number. Instead, we’ll choose an arbitrary number
and call it x. If we can show that the result is 3 in this case, that will
tell us that this is the result for every number. Remember, we’ll be
doing the exact same operations, just on an arbitrary number x.
Number: x
Multiply by 2: x  2  2x
Add 6: 2x  6  2x  6
Divide by 2: 2x  6
 x3
 2
Subtract the original
number: x  3  x  3
 Result: 3
Now we proved our conjecture for all numbers.


EXAMPLE 8 Using Deductive Reasoning to
Prove a Conjecture

Consider the following problem:


Select a number. Add 50 to the number. Multiply
the sum by 2. Subtract the original number from
the product.
What is the result?

(a) Use inductive reasoning to arrive at a general


conclusion.
(b) Use deductive reasoning to prove your
conclusion is true.
EXAMPLE 8 Using Deductive Reasoning to
Prove a Conjecture

SOLUTION
(a) Inductive reasoning will be helpful in forming a conjecture.
We’ll choose a couple specific numbers at random and
perform the given operations to see what the result is.
Number: 12 50
Add 50: 12  50  62 50  50  100
Multiply by 2: 62  2  124 100  2  200
Subtract the original number:
 124  12  112 200  50  150
Result: 112 150

The conjecture is that the final answer is 100 more than the
original number. But this doesn’t prove the conjecture, as
we’ve tried only two of infinitely many possibilities.
EXAMPLE 8 Using Deductive Reasoning to
Prove a Conjecture
SOLUTION
(b) Now we’ll try using deduction. Remember, we’ll be doing the
exact same operations, just on an arbitrary number x.

Number: x
Add 50: x  50
Multiply by 2: 2( x  50)  2 x  100
Subtract the original number: 2x  100  x

Result: x  100

Our conjecture was right: the final answer is always 100 more than
the original number.
EXAMPLE 9 Comparing Inductive and
Deductive Reasoning

Determine whether the type of reasoning used is


inductive or deductive.

The last six times we played our archrival in football,


we won, so I know we’re going to win on Saturday.

SOLUTION Inductive Reasoning!


This conclusion is based on six specific occurrences, not a
general rule that we know to be true.
EXAMPLE 10 Comparing Inductive and
Deductive Reasoning

Determine whether the type of reasoning used is inductive


or deductive.

The syllabus states that any final average between 80%


and 90% will result in a B. If I get a 78% on my final, my
overall average will be 80.1%, so I’ll get a B.

SOLUTION Deductive Reasoning!


Although we’re talking about a specific person’s grade, the
conclusion that I’ll get a B is based on a general rule: all
scores in the 80s earn a B.

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