MHB Where is the mistake in this formal proof?

  • Thread starter Thread starter solakis1
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Mistake Proof
Click For Summary
The discussion identifies a critical flaw in a formal proof regarding the theorem in real numbers. The initial statement, asserting that for all x, if for all y, xy equals y, then x must equal 1, is incorrect. The proof fails when considering the case where x equals 2 and y equals 0, demonstrating that the theorem does not hold universally. The correct formulation should specify that y must not equal 0 to avoid division by zero errors. This highlights the importance of careful assumptions in mathematical proofs.
solakis1
Messages
407
Reaction score
0
we have the following formal proof:

i) $$\forall x[\forall y(xy=y)\Longrightarrow x=1]$$.......theoren in real Nos

2)$$\forall y(xy=y)\Longrightarrow x=1$$......1,U.E ,x=x

3) $$(x0=0)\Longrightarrow x=1$$...... 2,U.E ,y=0

4)$$\forall A[A.0=0]$$........Theorem in Real Nos5) )$$[x.0=0]$$........4,U.E, A=x

6) x=1........3,5 M.Ponens

7) )$$\forall A[A=1]$$........ 6,U.I

U.E=Universal Elimination

U.I = Universal Introduction

I am afraid to say i find no mistake
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
The very first line is wrong, it should be:

1) $\forall x[\forall (y \neq 0): (xy = y ) \implies x = 1]$

One can see that your statement is clearly untrue by letting:

$x = 2, y = 0$

so it is not a theorem of the real numbers.

(Moral of the story: don't go proving stupid things by dividing by 0).
 
Deveno said:
The very first line is wrong, it should be:

1) $\forall x[\forall (y \neq 0): (xy = y ) \implies x = 1]$

One can see that your statement is clearly untrue by letting:

$x = 2, y = 0$

so it is not a theorem of the real numbers.

(Moral of the story: don't go proving stupid things by dividing by 0).
1)$$\forall y(xy=y)$$.......hypothesis

2)$$ (x1=1)$$.........1,U.E ,Y=1

3)$$\forall A[A.1=A]$$.......Axiom in Real Nos

4))$$ [x1=x]$$.......3,U.E,A=x

5) x=1........Substituting ( 4) into (2)

6)$$\forall y(xy=y)\Longrightarrow x=1$$....... From (1) to (5) by using the rule of conditional proof

7)$$\forall x[\forall y(xy=y)\Longrightarrow x=1]$$..........6,U.I

Where is the mistake
 
First trick I learned this one a long time ago and have used it to entertain and amuse young kids. Ask your friend to write down a three-digit number without showing it to you. Then ask him or her to rearrange the digits to form a new three-digit number. After that, write whichever is the larger number above the other number, and then subtract the smaller from the larger, making sure that you don't see any of the numbers. Then ask the young "victim" to tell you any two of the digits of the...

Similar threads

  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
896
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
18
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
5K
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K