Using the mathod of mathematical induction

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on proving that any ten-element set of positive integers ranging from 1 to 99 contains two disjoint subsets A and B with equal sums. This problem utilizes the pigeonhole principle rather than mathematical induction. Participants emphasize the importance of calculating the number of possible subsets and the range of sums achievable with the selected integers. The conclusion is that the pigeonhole principle guarantees the existence of such subsets due to the limited range of sums compared to the number of subsets.

PREREQUISITES
  • Pigeonhole principle
  • Subset sum problem
  • Basic combinatorics
  • Understanding of positive integers
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the pigeonhole principle in depth
  • Explore the subset sum problem and its applications
  • Learn about combinatorial counting techniques
  • Investigate properties of positive integers and their distributions
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Mathematics students, educators, and anyone interested in combinatorial proofs and number theory will benefit from this discussion.

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Homework Statement


Let H be a ten- element set of potive integers ranged from 1 to 99. Prove that H has two disjoint subsets A and B so that the sum of the elements of A is equal to the sum of the elements of B.
 
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This is a pigeonhole question, not an induction question.
hint:

If you have 10 different numbers, how many different ways can you choose a subset of them? (to make a sum)and also,

what is the range of answers you can possibly get? (numbers chosen from 1-99 and up to a maximum of 10 numbers)
 

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