Proving 3n > n^3 for n > 3 using Induction

  • Thread starter Thread starter rbnphlp
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Induction
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
5 replies · 4K views
rbnphlp
Messages
53
Reaction score
0
3n>n3 where n >3

I know I have to use proof by induction to solve this.
assume for f(4)is true
for f(n+1)=3n+1>3n3

However after that I don't have a clue of how to getting it into (n+1)3
Any hints will be greatly apperciated
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Let

[tex] A_n [/tex]

be the statement

[tex] 3^n > n^3[/tex]

You want to show [tex]A_n[/tex] is true for [tex]n \ge 4[/tex].

It shouldn't be hard to show [tex]A_4[/tex] is true. Assume it is true for [tex]k \ge 4[/tex].

Now

[tex] 3^{3+1} = 3 \cdot 3 ^k > 3 \cdot k^3 = k^3 + k^3 + k^3[/tex]

Now play with the terms on the right, making the new expressions ever smaller, to build up to the expansion of [tex](k+1)^3[/tex].

(Hint for a start: You know by hypothesis [tex]k \ge 4 > 3[/tex], so
[tex] k^3 = k \cdot k^2 > 3k^2[/tex]
which is the second term in the expansion of [tex](k+1)^3[/tex])
 
Last edited by a moderator:
statdad said:
Let

[tex] A_n [/tex]

be the statement

[tex] 3^n > n^3[/tex]

You want to show [tex]A_n[/tex] is true for [tex]n \ge 4[/tex].

It shouldn't be hard to show [tex]A_4[/tex] is true. Assume it is true for [tex]k \ge 4[/tex].

Now

[tex] 3^{3+1} = 3 \cdot 3 ^k > 3 \cdot k^3 = k^3 + k^3 + k^3[/tex]

Now play with the terms on the right, making the new expressions ever smaller, to build up to the expansion of [tex](k+1)^3[/tex].

(Hint for a start: You know by hypothesis [tex]k \ge 4 > 3[/tex], so
[tex] k^3 = k \cdot k^2 > 3k^2[/tex]
which is the second term in the expansion of [tex](k+1)^3[/tex])
Sorry for the late reply
This is th best I could get at:

3n>n3
For n+1=
3n+1>3n

given n>3 , I found the following:

  • n3>3n2
  • n2>3n
  • n-2>1
with the best intentions I did the following:

Added all them up and got
n3>3n2+3n+1-n2-n+2--(1)
3n+1-2n3>n3--(2)

from 1 and 2
3n+1-2n3>3n2+3n+1-n2-n+2

3n+1+n2+n-2-n3>(n+1)3

But after that I am stuck it would be great some one could help. thnx
 
Statdad showed that you could get to [itex]k^3+ k^3+ k^3[/itex] and you want to compare that to [itex](k+1)^3= k^3+ 3k^2+ 3k+ 1[/itex]. Can you show that [itex]k^3> 3k^2[/itex] when k> 3? Can you show that [itex]k^3> 3k+ 1[/itex] when k> 3?
 
HallsofIvy said:
Statdad showed that you could get to [itex]k^3+ k^3+ k^3[/itex] and you want to compare that to [itex](k+1)^3= k^3+ 3k^2+ 3k+ 1[/itex]. Can you show that [itex]k^3> 3k^2[/itex] when k> 3? Can you show that [itex]k^3> 3k+ 1[/itex] when k> 3?

nope I can't .:cry: