MATH F231

LECTURE 2-8-2019
BITS Pilani Michael Alphonse
Hyderabad Campus
The topic to be covered

1. Over view of the Course

2. Fundamental Properties of Integers

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Applications of Number
Theory
Many number theorists, including the eminent nineteenth-
century English number theorist Godfrey H. Hardy, once
believed that number theory, although beautiful, had no
practical relevance. However, the advent of modern
technology has brought a new dimension to the power of
number theory: constant practical use. Once considered the
purest of pure mathematics, it is used increasingly in the rapid
development of technology in a number of areas, such as art,
coding theory, cryptology, and computer science. The various
fascinating applications have confirmed that human ingenuity
and creativity are boundless, although many years of hard
work may be needed to produce more meaningful and
delightful applications.

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Order Relation in Integers and
Law of Trichotomy

Integers = { ….. -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, …. }

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Floor and Ceiling of Real
Numbers

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Summation and Product
Notation

Let I = {0, 1, 3, 5}

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Using Well ordered principle prove the following :

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Principle of Mathematical
Induction

How can you modify the above proof to prove the following :

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Principle of Mathematical
Induction

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This is wrong usage of principle of Induction. Find out why?

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Proof :
Let S = {n≥n0 : P(n) is true}
Then by the given hypothesis,

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Problems :

1. Using well ordering principle prove the following statement : Let a

and b be any positive integers. Then there exists a positive integer n
such that na ≥ b.
Solution : Suppose ∀ positive integer n, na < b. Then S = {b-na: n∈Z+} is a non
empty subset of positive integers. Therefore S has a least element 𝑙 = b-ma.
Now b-(m+1)a < 𝑙 and 𝑙-(m+1)a ∈ S, which is a contradiction to the fact that 𝑙 is
the least element in S.

2. Prove that every non empty subset negative integers has a largest
element.
Let S be any non empty subset of negative integers. Then S| = {-n : n∈S} is a non
empty subset of +ve integers and hence it has least element 𝑙. Is –n ≥ 𝑙 for every
n∈S. Therefore n ≤ -𝑙 for all n ∈ S.

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Try these Problems :

1. Every non empty set of integers ≤ a fixed integer n0 has

a largest element.
2. Using mathematical induction prove the following :
𝑛(𝑛+1)(2𝑛+1)
(i) σ𝑛𝑖=1 𝑖 2 =
6
𝑛 𝑛+1 2
(ii) σ𝑛𝑖=1 𝑖 3 =
2
𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
(iii) σ𝑛𝑖=1 𝑎𝑟 𝑖−1 = 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑟 ≠ 1.
𝑟−1

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