View Full Version : Is This A Correct/Sufficient Proof
Sylvester Sly
Nov27-09, 11:38 PM
1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
Which is greater cos(sin(x)) or sin(cos(x)), determine with proof.
3. The attempt at a solution
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/5193/proof1ii.jpg
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/8678/proof2w.jpg
Something you asserted early on is not true - that f(g(x)) = g(f(x)). I stopped reading after that.
Sylvester Sly
Nov28-09, 12:34 AM
Something you asserted early on is not true - that f(g(x)) = g(f(x)). I stopped reading after that.
I was doing proof by contradiction. In order to prove f(g(x)) =/= g(f(x)) i started off by letting f(g(x)) = g(f(x)) and working from there.
diazona
Nov28-09, 12:53 AM
I was doing proof by contradiction. In order to prove f(g(x)) =/= g(f(x)) i started off by letting f(g(x)) = g(f(x)) and working from there.
You would have been doing a proof by contradiction if you said you were doing a proof by contradiction. The way you've written it, you're just asserting (without justification) something that is not even true.
Other than that, it seems reasonable...
If you're doing a proof by contradiction, you don't start with "therefore ..." - You start by assuming the thing you want to contradict.
Also, in the same line you have "Therefore g(f(x)) = f(g(x)) cos(sin(x))". It looks like you omitted part of what you wanted to say.
HallsofIvy
Nov28-09, 05:51 AM
If you're doing a proof by contradiction, you don't start with "therefore ..." - You start by assuming the thing you want to contradict.
Also, in the same line you have "Therefore g(f(x)) = f(g(x)) cos(sin(x))". It looks like you omitted part of what you wanted to say.
I assumed that was a typos for "g(f(x))= f(g(x))= cos(sin(x))". But, in any case, if the problem was to determine which was larger, I don't see what a proof by contradiction that they are not equal would accomplish.
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