Questions tagged [elementary-proofs]
For questions related to 'elementary' proofs in a technical sense, which has nothing to do with the difficulty of the argument or result. A typical example would be 'elementary' proofs of the Prime Number Theorem, which avoid complex analysis. The tag is however not limited to this particular notion of 'elementary.'
215 questions
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Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind and primality testing
Can you provide a proof or a counterexample for the claim given below ?
Inspired by Agrawal's conjecture in this paper and by Theorem 4 in this paper I have formulated the following claim :
Let $...
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6
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What is the simplest proof that the density of primes goes to zero?
By density of primes, I mean the proportion of integers between $1$ and $x$ which are prime. The prime number theorem says that this is asymptotically $1/\log(x)$.
I want something much weaker, namely ...
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real symmetric matrix has real eigenvalues - elementary proof
Every real symmetric matrix has at least one real eigenvalue. Does anyone know how to prove this elementary, that is without the notion of complex numbers?
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On a remark of Tait on FLT for the exponent 3
This is one of those recreational questions that aren't really about research. I found a curious remark in an old volume of American Mathematical Monthly (1922) which I'll quote below:
In the ...
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Which theorems have Pythagoras' Theorem as a special case?
Loomis famously wrote hundreds of proofs of Pythagoras' Theorem (reference below), but these are all basically proofs "from below". Today on Twitter @panlepan mentioned Carnot's theorem ...
34
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A trigonometric equation: how hard could it be?
The following problem started out with a formulation in terms of complex numbers: let $\epsilon=e^{\frac{\pi i}3}$ and $z=e^{\frac{2\pi i}{3(2n-1)}}$. It's rather amusing that the following appears to ...
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3
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Ideas in the elementary proof of the prime number theorem (Selberg / Erdős)
I'm reading the elementary proof of prime number theorem (Selberg / Erdős, around 1949).
One key step is to prove that, with $\vartheta(x) = \sum_{p\leq x} \log p$,
$$(1) \qquad\qquad \vartheta(x) \...
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Functional-analytic proof of the existence of non-symmetric random variables with vanishing odd moments
It is known that a random variable $X$ which is symmetric about $0$ (i.e $X$ and $-X$ have the same distribution) must have all its odd moments (when they exist!) equal to zero. The converse is a ...
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6
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Unrigorous British mathematics prior to G.H. Hardy
I was looking at a bio-movie of Ramanujan last night. Very poignant.
Also impressed by Jeremy Irons' portrayal of G.H. Hardy.
In G.H. Hardy's wiki page, we read:
. . . "Hardy cited as his most ...
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4
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Is there an elementary way to find the integer solutions to $x^2-y^3=1$?
I gave this problem to my undergraduate assistant, as I saw that Euler had originally solved it (although I am having trouble finding his proof). After working on it for two weeks, we boiled the hard ...
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2
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A Putnam problem with a twist
This question is motivated by one of the problem set from this year's Putnam Examination. That is,
Problem. Let $S_1, S_2, \dots, S_{2^n-1}$ be the nonempty subsets of $\{1,2,\dots,n\}$ in some ...
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Simpler proofs using the axiom of choice
I am looking for examples of results which may be proven without resorting to the axiom of choice/Zorn lemma/transfinite induction but whose proof is quite simplified by the use of the axiom.
For ...
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Geodesics on the sphere
In a few days I will be giving a talk to (smart) high-school students on a topic which includes a brief overview on the notions of curvature and of gedesic lines. As an example, I will discuss flight ...
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What is the difference between elementary and non-elementary proofs of the Prime Number Theorem?
There is an easy proof of the PNT, just in a few lines, in the book by Julian Havil, "Gamma", pages 201-202. Specifically, Von Mangoldt's formula, which is very easy to derive:
$$
\psi(x) = ...
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3
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What is the simplest proof that the density of coprime pairs does not go to zero?
By density of coprime pairs, I mean the proportion of pairs integers between $1$ and $x$ which are coprime.
This is known to be asymptotically $1/\zeta(2)$.
I want something much weaker, namely that ...
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A proof required for this identity [duplicate]
Experiments support the below identity.
Question. Is this true? Combinatorial proof preferred if possible.
$$\sum_{m=0}^n\binom{n-\frac13}m\binom{n+\frac13}{n-m}(1+6m-3n)^{2n+1}
=\left(\frac43\...
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2
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Why are the medians of a triangle concurrent? In absolute geometry
This fact holds true in absolute geometry, and I would like to see an elementary synthetic proof not using the classification of absolute planes (Euclidean and hyperbolic planes) and specific models. ...
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2
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Are [Wieferich] primes the only solutions to the equation $2^{k-1} \equiv 1 \pmod{k^2}$?
While studying a certain Diophantine equation in the squarefree integer $k \ge 2$, I believe I have proven the necessary restriction
$$2^{k-1} \equiv 1\!\!\pmod{k^2}. \qquad(\star)$$
Based on what ...
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An elementary proof that, for every fixed $n \in \mathbf N^+$, there are infinitely many primes $\equiv -1 \bmod n$
This morning, I made a comment to a comment to a question of Ayman Moussa, only to point out that, among many others, there is an elementary proof of Dirichlet's theorem on the existence of infinitely ...
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Alternative proofs sought after for a certain identity
Here is an identity for which I outlined two different arguments. I'm collecting further alternative proofs, so
QUESTION. can you provide another verification for the problem below?
Problem. Prove ...
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Elementary proof of the equidistribution theorem
I'm looking for references to (as many as possible) elementary proofs of the Weyl's equidistribution theorem, i.e., the statement that the sequence $\alpha, 2\alpha, 3\alpha, \ldots \mod 1$ is ...
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What can be said about this double sum?
Question. Can this number be expressed in terms of classical values?
$$\sum_{n,m=1}^{\infty}\frac1{(n^2+m^2)^{\frac32}}=1.056348517615643291\dots$$
UPDATE. I'm encouraged by Noam, Kevin and Igor's ...
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Integral inequality: an elementary proof?
I have a very indirect proof of the following property involving a parametrized integral. If $a,a_1,\ldots,a_n\in\mathbb R^n$ (here $n\ge2$), let me denote $V(a,a_1,\ldots,a_n)$ the volume of the ...
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1
answer
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The 4th vertex of a triangle?
I was immensely surprised and amused by the idea of the fourth side of a triangle that was introduced by B.F.Sherman in 1993. 'Sherman's Fourth Side of a Triangle' by Paul Yiu is available here. ...
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Nonstandard proofs of the fundamental theorem of arithmetic
Thirty or so years ago, someone showed me a clever proof of the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic that did not make use of the lemma "If $p\mid ab$ then $p\mid a$ or $p\mid b$". I'm unable ...
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Euclid-style proof of Dirichlet’s theorem on primes in certain arithmetic progression
The well-known theorem of Dirichlet on primes in arithmetic progression states that given coprime natural numbers $a\le q$, there are infinitely many prime numbers congruent to $a\pmod q$. The ...
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Six points on an ellipse
Can you prove the following proposition:
Proposition. Let $\triangle ABC$ be an arbitrary triangle with centroid $G$. Let $D,E,F$ be the points on the sides $AC$,$AB$ and $BC$ respectively , such ...
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Is Gauss's generalization of Wilson's theorem non-superficially related to the classification of moduli for which primitive roots exist?
Wilson's theorem (actually proven by Lagrange) from elementary number theory states that: If $n\ge 2$ is an integer, then
$$
(n-1)! \equiv
\begin{cases}
\hfill -1 \pmod {n} &\text{ if } n \...
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At what point would an elementary generalization of Bertrand's Postulate be interesting?
I know that in 1952 Jitsuro Nagura was able to show that there is always a prime between $k$ and $\frac{6k}{5}$ for $k > 24$.
At what point would an improvement on Nagura's result be interesting? ...
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Is there an elementary proof that there are infinitely many primes that are *not* completely split in an abelian extension?
I'm currently in the middle of teaching the adelic algebraic proofs of global class field theory. One of the intermediate lemmas that one shows is the following:
Lemma: if L/K is an abelian ...
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3
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Solving the quartic equation $r^4 + 4r^3s - 6r^2s^2 - 4rs^3 + s^4 = 1$
I'm working on solving the quartic Diophantine equation in the title. Calculations in maxima imply that the only integer solutions are
\begin{equation}
(r,s) \in \{(-3, -2), (-2, 3), (-1, 0), (0, -1),...
12
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2
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A conjectural infinite series for $\frac{\pi^2}{5\sqrt{5}}$
I am looking for a proof of the following claim:
First define the function $\chi(n)$ as follows:
$$\chi(n)=\begin{cases}1, & \text{if }n \equiv \pm 1 \pmod{10} \\
-1, & \text{if }n \equiv \pm ...
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Intersection point of three circles
Can you provide a proof for the following proposition:
Proposition. Let $\triangle ABC$ be an arbitrary triangle with orthocenter $H$. Let $D,E,F$ be a midpoints of the $AB$,$BC$ and $AC$ , ...
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Is an irreducible ideal in $R$ also irreducible in $R[x]$?
Let $R$ be a commutative Noetherian ring and $I\subset R$ an ideal that is irreducible in the sense that if $I = J_1 \cap J_2$, then $I=J_1$ or $I=J_2$. Is (the ideal generated by) $I$ irreducible in ...
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A set of prime numbers
Consider a non-empty set $S$ of primes, with the property that, for every finite subset $S'\subset S$, all the primes dividing $\left(\prod_{k\in S'}k\right)+1$ are in $S$.
For instance, it can ...
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What is the limit of $a (n + 1) / a (n)$?
Let $a(n) = f(n,n)$ where $f(m,n) = 1$ if $m < 2 $ or $ n < 2$ and $f(m,n) = f(m-1,n-1) + f(m-1,n-2) + 2 f(m-2,n-1)$ otherwise.
What is the limit of $a(n + 1) / a (n)$? $(2.71...)$
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Diophantine equation $3^a+1=3^b+5^c$
This is not a research problem, but challenging enough that I've decided to post it in here:
Determine all triples $(a,b,c)$ of non-negative integers, satisfying
$$
1+3^a = 3^b+5^c.
$$
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3
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Does anyone recognize this inequality?
In some paper the authors make use of the following inequality without further explanation: Let $x\in\mathbb{R}^n$ with $x_1\le\cdots\le x_n$ and $\alpha\in[0,1]^n$ with $\sum_{i=1}^n \alpha_i=N\in\{1,...
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2
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Primality test for specific class of Proth numbers
Can you provide a proof or a counterexample for the following claim :
Let $P_m(x)=2^{-m}\cdot \left(\left(x-\sqrt{x^2-4}\right)^{m}+\left(x+\sqrt{x^2-4}\right)^{m}\right)$
Let $N=k\cdot 2^n+1$ such ...
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11
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2
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Sum of squared nearest-neighbor distances between points in a square
Let $\square_2=\{(x,y): 0\leq x, y\leq1\}$ be the unit square in $\mathbb{R}^2$. Take $n>1$ points $P_1, \dots, P_n\in\square_2$.
Denote the distances $d_j=\min\{\Vert P_k-P_j\Vert: k\neq j\}$, ...
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11
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1
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A congruence conjecture regarding $(r-s)^4-1 \equiv 0\!\pmod{4r^2s}$
Is the following conjecture true?
Conjecture. If $r > s \ge 1$ are relatively prime integers such that
\begin{equation}
(r-s)^4-1 \equiv 0\!\pmod{4r^2s}, \tag{1}
\end{equation}
then $r-s = 1$ ...
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10
votes
1
answer
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Roots and relation between polynomials and their derivatives
This is probably easy but it might be interesting. Here goes $\dots$
Let $P\in\mathbb{R}[x]$ be a polynomial of degree $n>2$ and $P'=\frac{dP}{dx}$. If $x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n$ are the roots of $P(x)...
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1
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A proof without derivatives that a real polynomial of degree $n$ has at most $n-1$ local extrema
This question is about math education and is not research level, so do not hesitate to delete it if it feels inappropriate.
I already asked it here a year ago:
https://math.stackexchange.com/...
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2
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Length of Hirzebruch continued fractions
Suppose $a,b$ are two natural numbers relatively prime to $n$ and to each other. Assume $n\geq ab+1$. Suppose further that $\frac{a}{b}\equiv k \pmod{n}$ for some $k\in \lbrace 1,2,\dots, n-1\rbrace$ ...
- 85.6k
10
votes
0
answers
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Primality testing using Chebyshev polynomials
Can you provide a proof or a counterexample for the claim given below?
Inspired by an alternative definition of the Frobenius primality test which is given in this paper I have formulated the ...
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10
votes
0
answers
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Minkowski's lattice theorem in fragments of arithmetic
It is widely remarked that Minkowski's lattice theorem (or, convex body theorem) is a kind of geometrical pigeonhole principle. And it seems it should have a very elementary proof at least for convex ...
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2
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A tricky integral to evaluate
I came across this integral in some work. So, I would like to ask:
QUESTION. Can you evaluate this integral with proofs?
$$\int_0^1\frac{\log x\cdot\log(x+2)}{x+1}\,dx.$$
- 43.2k
9
votes
1
answer
692
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An infinite series involving harmonic numbers
I am looking for a proof of the following claim:
Let $H_n$ be the nth harmonic number. Then,
$$\frac{\pi^2}{12}=\ln^22+\displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{H_n}{n(n+1) \cdot 2^n}$$
The SageMath ...
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9
votes
2
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Certain matrices of interesting determinant
Let $M_n$ be the $n\times n$ matrix with entries
$$\binom{i}{2j}+\binom{j}{2i}, \qquad \text{for $1\leq i,j\leq n$}.$$
QUESTION. Is this true? There is some evidence. The determinant $\det(M_{2n+1})...
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9
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1
answer
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Quadrisecants of knots
Recall that a quadrisecant of a knot is a line that passes thru four points on it.
If the points appear on the line in the order $a$, $b$, $c$, $d$ and on the knot in the order $a$, $c$, $b$, $d$, ...
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