Prove Squeezing Theorem for n Natural Numbers

hypermonkey2
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Any nice proofs for this?

2\sqrt{n+1}-2\sqrt{n}&lt;\frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}&lt;2\sqrt{n}-2\sqrt{n-1}<br />




I hope the tex came out alright. have fun!

ps. n is any natural number.
 
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ill post solution in the morning.
 
I doesn't look that hard if you prove each half by induction, and if first you multiply everything by sqrt(n)/sqrt(n). But then again there could be a catch somewere. If I have time I'll try it.
 
<br /> \begin{align*}<br /> 2\sqrt{n+1} - 2\sqrt{n} &amp;= 2(\sqrt{n+1} - \sqrt{n}) \cdot \frac{\sqrt{n+1} + \sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{n+1} + \sqrt{n}} \\<br /> &amp;= \frac{2}{\sqrt{n+1} + \sqrt{n}} \\<br /> &amp;&lt; \frac{2}{\sqrt{n} + \sqrt{n}} \\<br /> &amp;= \frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}<br /> \end{align*}<br />


Alternatively, let f(x) = \sqrt{x}, then by the MVT on [n, n+1]:

<br /> \begin{align*}<br /> \frac{\sqrt{n+1} - \sqrt{n}}{1} &amp;= f&#039;(x) \\<br /> &amp;= \frac{1}{2\sqrt{x}}, \text{ with x} \in (n, n+1) \\<br /> &amp;&lt; \frac{1}{2\sqrt{n}}<br /> \end{align*}<br />

Second one should be similar.
 
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Yes, my solution ressembled the first one. Although, i was very amused at seeing the MVT making such short work of it. nice job. here's the pickle. i forgot the solution to this, ill think about it over the next few days, but have a try:
Using this inequality, evaluate to the \pm 1 the integer part of the sum
1+\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}+...+\frac{1}{\sqrt{1000000}}
any progress, you let me know.
 
hehe, alright, it came back to me, but take a try at it anyways.
 
Finally, here's the cherry on top. Prove that the integer part of the following expression is odd.

(\sqrt{n}+\sqrt{n+1})^2

have fun! I am interested in seeing some original solutions as i think there are better ones than the ones i have seen.
 
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no takers? i post solutions tomorrow.
 
hypermonkey2 said:
Yes, my solution ressembled the first one. Although, i was very amused at seeing the MVT making such short work of it. nice job. here's the pickle. i forgot the solution to this, ill think about it over the next few days, but have a try:
Using this inequality, evaluate to the \pm 1 the integer part of the sum
1+\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}+...+\frac{1}{\sqrt{1000000}}
any progress, you let me know.
I think some appropriate definite integration of 1/sqrt(x) will give the desired approximation.
 
  • #10
hypermonkey2 said:
Finally, here's the cherry on top. Prove that the integer part of the following expression is odd.
(\sqrt{n}+\sqrt{n+1})^2
have fun! I am interested in seeing some original solutions as i think there are better ones than the ones i have seen.
This follows from the following 2 observations:
1.
(\sqrt{n}+\sqrt{n+1})^2 + (\sqrt{n}-\sqrt{n+1})^2 = 4n+2
2.
(\sqrt{n}-\sqrt{n+1})^2 is really small.
 
  • #11
hypermonkey2 said:
Using this inequality, evaluate to the \pm 1 the integer part of the sum
1+\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}+...+\frac{1}{\sqrt{1000000}}
any progress, you let me know.

2\sum_{k=a}^b\left(\sqrt{k+1}-\sqrt{k}\right)&lt;\sum_{k=a}^b\frac{1}{\sqrt k}&lt;2\sum_{k=a}^b\left(\sqrt{k}-\sqrt{k-1}\right)

2\left(\sqrt{b+1}-\sqrt{a}\right)&lt;\sum_{k=a}^b\frac{1}{\sqrt k}&lt;2\left(\sqrt{b}-\sqrt{a-1}\right)

2\left(\sqrt{1000001}-\sqrt{1}\right)&lt;\sum_{k=1}^{1000000}\frac{1}{\sqrt k}&lt;2\left(\sqrt{1000000}-\sqrt{0}\right)

1998&lt;\sum_{k=1}^{1000000}\frac{1}{\sqrt k}&lt;2000

By direct calculation
1998.5401&lt;\sum_{k=1}^{1000000}\frac{1}{\sqrt k}&lt;1998.5402
 
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  • #12
well done, youve saved me a bit of typing! yes that's the solution i have as well.
 
  • #13
redkimchi said:
This follows from the following 2 observations:
1.
(\sqrt{n}+\sqrt{n+1})^2 + (\sqrt{n}-\sqrt{n+1})^2 = 4n+2
2.
(\sqrt{n}-\sqrt{n+1})^2 is really small.

interesting, but i find your second premise a little weak, as in... not justified. it definitely is true though. i could be wrong though, its just what if n is very large?
 
  • #14
hypermonkey2 said:
interesting, but i find your second premise a little weak, as in... not justified. it definitely is true though. i could be wrong though, its just what if n is very large?

It decreases strictly as n increases. In particular, if n>0, -1&lt;\sqrt n-\sqrt{n+1}&lt;0. This gives the desired result.
 
  • #15
CRGreathouse said:
It decreases strictly as n increases. In particular, if n>0, -1&lt;\sqrt n-\sqrt{n+1}&lt;0. This gives the desired result.

interesting! I am curious, is there a nice proof of this inequality?
 
  • #16
The original problem looks like an easy application of Taylor series! The 0-th order approximation is:

<br /> f(x + e) = f(x) + f&#039;(x^*) e<br />

for some x^* between x and x+e inclusive.

Letting f be the square root function and e be 1, we have:

<br /> \sqrt{x + 1} - \sqrt{x} = \frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x^*}} \leq \frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x}}<br />

because the rightmost term is an upper bound for the middle term. Letting e = -1, we have:

<br /> \sqrt{x - 1} - \sqrt{x} = - \frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x^*}} \geq -\frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x}}<br />

because the rightmost term is a lower bound for the middle term. (Note the signs!)

Therefore,

\sqrt{x+1} - \sqrt{x} \leq \frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x}} \leq \sqrt{x} - \sqrt{x - 1}

or

2\sqrt{x+1} - 2\sqrt{x} \leq \frac{1}{\sqrt{x}} \leq 2\sqrt{x} - 2\sqrt{x - 1}
 
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  • #17
hypermonkey2 said:
interesting! I am curious, is there a nice proof of this inequality?
Yes. It's actually quite easy to see why this is true, since the terms in the middle are consecutive square roots. A formal proof goes something like this:

\sqrt{n+1} - \sqrt{n} &gt; 0 \text{ is obviously true for } n \in \mathbb{N}

It remains to show that:

\sqrt{n+1} - \sqrt{n} &lt; 1

Squaring both sides and playing around, we see that this follows from n &lt; n+1.

<br /> n &lt; n+1<br /> \Rightarrow n^2 &lt; n(n+1)<br /> \Rightarrow n &lt; \sqrt{n(n+1)}<br /> \Rightarrow 2n - 2\sqrt{n(n+1)} &lt; 0<br /> \Rightarrow n + 1 - 2\sqrt{n(n+1)} + n &lt; 1<br /> \Rightarrow (\sqrt{n+1} + \sqrt{n})^2 &lt; 1<br />

So we have:

<br /> 0 &lt; \sqrt{n+1} - \sqrt{n} &lt; 1<br /> \Rightarrow -1 &lt; \sqrt{n} - \sqrt{n+1} &lt; 0<br />
 
  • #18
Hurkyl said:
The original problem looks like an easy application of Taylor series! The 0-th order approximation is:
<br /> f(x + e) = f(x) + f&#039;(x^*) e<br />
for some x^* between x and x+e inclusive.
Letting f be the square root function and e be 1, we have:
<br /> \sqrt{x + 1} - \sqrt{x} = \frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x^*}} \leq \frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x}}<br />
because the rightmost term is an upper bound for the middle term. Letting e = -1, we have:
<br /> \sqrt{x - 1} - \sqrt{x} = - \frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x^*}} \geq -\frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x}}<br />
because the rightmost term is a lower bound for the middle term. (Note the signs!)
Therefore,
\sqrt{x+1} - \sqrt{x} \leq \frac{1}{2 \sqrt{x}} \leq \sqrt{x} - \sqrt{x - 1}
or
2\sqrt{x+1} - 2\sqrt{x} \leq \frac{1}{\sqrt{x}} \leq 2\sqrt{x} - 2\sqrt{x - 1}

If you say so, i haven't finished my cal 2 yet unfortunately, hehe. but ill keep it in mind!
 
  • #19
devious_ said:
Yes. It's actually quite easy to see why this is true, since the terms in the middle are consecutive square roots. A formal proof goes something like this:
\sqrt{n+1} - \sqrt{n} &gt; 0 \text{ is obviously true for } n \in \mathbb{N}
It remains to show that:
\sqrt{n+1} - \sqrt{n} &lt; 1
Squaring both sides and playing around, we see that this follows from n &lt; n+1.
<br /> n &lt; n+1<br /> \Rightarrow n^2 &lt; n(n+1)<br /> \Rightarrow n &lt; \sqrt{n(n+1)}<br /> \Rightarrow 2n - 2\sqrt{n(n+1)} &lt; 0<br /> \Rightarrow n + 1 - 2\sqrt{n(n+1)} + n &lt; 1<br /> \Rightarrow (\sqrt{n+1} + \sqrt{n})^2 &lt; 1<br />
So we have:
<br /> 0 &lt; \sqrt{n+1} - \sqrt{n} &lt; 1<br /> \Rightarrow -1 &lt; \sqrt{n} - \sqrt{n+1} &lt; 0<br />
oustanding, thanks for that.
 

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