I Can a be proven to be greater than or equal to c from given inequalities?

  • I
  • Thread starter Thread starter mikeyBoy83
  • Start date Start date
mikeyBoy83
Given ##a,b\inℝ## with ##a≥b## and ##b≥c##, I wish to show that ##a≥c##. For that we have ##a-b≥0## and ##b-c≥0##. Therefore, ##a-b+b-c≥0## and so ##a-c≥0##. Hence, ##a≥c##. Q.E.D.

Correct me if I am wrong, but this works unless I should use different cases because of equality and inequality. What do you think?
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
mikeyBoy83 said:
Given ##a,b\inℝ## with ##a≥b## and ##b≥c##, I wish to show that ##a≥c##. For that we have ##a-b≥0## and ##b-c≥0##. Therefore, ##a-b+b-c≥0## and so ##a-c≥0##. Hence, ##a≥c##. Q.E.D.

Correct me if I am wrong, but this works unless I should use different cases because of equality and inequality. What do you think?
Looks good to me. Even simpler, this can be written as a≥b≥c, and automatically, a≥c.
 
Comeback City said:
Even simpler, this can be written as a≥b≥c, and automatically, a≥c.

How does this prove anything. You just restate the result which needs to be proven.
 
How do you get from ##a \geq b## to ##a-b \geq 0## and from (##a-b \geq 0## and ##b-c \geq 0##) to ##a-b +b-c \geq 0##?

At that level, you have to do everything with the definitions and axioms.
 
  • Like
Likes mikeyBoy83 and member 587159
micromass said:
How does this prove anything. You just restate the result which needs to be proven.
It shows that if a is greater than/equal to b, then it must be greater than/equal to whatever b is greater than/equal to: in this case, c.
 
Comeback City said:
It shows that if a is greater than/equal to b, then it must be greater than/equal to whatever b is greater than/equal to: in this case, c.

You're assuming what requires to be shown: transitivity.
 
micromass said:
You're assuming what requires to be shown: transitivity.
That being said, how would you prove it?
 
Comeback City said:
That being said, how would you prove it?

Depends on the definition and the axioms given to me.
 
My proof as written is incomplete. In the final proof I'd be sure to justify my assertions using definitions and axioms.
 
Back
Top