INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

Mathematics: analysis and approaches

MAA

EXERCISES [MAA 1.9]

MATHEMATICAL INDUCTION
Compiled by Christos Nikolaidis

O. Practice questions

1. [Maximum mark: 7] [with GDC]

It is given that

n 2 (n  1) 2 n
n 2 (n  1) 2
13  2 3  33  ⋯  n 3 
4
(or otherwise  r3 
r 1 4
)

(a) Show that the result is true for

(i) n  1 , (ii) n  2 , (iii) n  3.
(b) Find 13  23  33  ⋯  203 .

(c) Find the least value of n such that 13  23  33  ⋯  n3  1000000

2. [Maximum mark: 7] [with GDC]

Show by mathematical induction that for any n  ℤ 

n 2 (n  1) 2 n
n 2 (n  1) 2
13  2 3  33  ⋯  n 3 
4
(or otherwise  r3 
r 1 4
)

A-B. Exam style questions (SHORT OR LONG)

DIVISIBILITY

3. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Using mathematical induction, prove that 10n  1 is a multiple of 9, for n  +.

4. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Using mathematical induction, prove that n 3  2n is divisible by 3, for n  +.

5. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Using mathematical induction, prove that 5n  3 is divisible by 4, for n = 1,2, …

6. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Using mathematical induction, prove that 22n – 3n – 1 is divisible by 9, for n = 1,2, …

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7. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Use mathematical induction to prove that 5n + 9n + 2 is divisible by 4, for n  +.

8. [Maximum mark: 10] [without GDC]

Prove by induction that 12 n  2(5 n 1 ) is a multiple of 7 for n  +

SERIES

9. [Maximum mark: 8] [without GDC]

Use mathematical induction to prove that for n  +,

n
n(n  1)(2n  1)
r
r 1
2

6

10. [Maximum mark: 8] [without GDC]

Use mathematical induction to prove that for n  2
1 2 3 n  1 n!1
  ⋯ 
2! 3! 4! n! n!

11. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Use mathematical induction to prove that for n  +,

12. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Using mathematical induction, prove that for all positive integers

13. [Maximum mark: 9] [without GDC]

(a) Use mathematical induction to prove that

[6]
(b) Hence show that the sum of the first n  1 terms of the series

[3]

14. [Maximum mark: 11] [without GDC]

(a) Use mathematical induction to prove that

(b) Find the minimum number of terms of the series for the sum to exceed 109.

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SEQUENCES

15. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

An arithmetic sequence is defined recursively by
the first term u1

and the recursive relation u n 1  u n  d

Prove by mathematical induction the general formula u n  u1  ( n  1) d , for n  +

16. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

A geometric sequence is defined recursively by

the first term u1
and the recursive relation u n 1  u n r
Prove by mathematical induction the general formula u n  u1 r n 1 , for n  +

17. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

A sequence is defined recursively by
the first term u1  10
and the recursive relation u n 1  2u n  2

Prove by mathematical induction that u n  3( 2) n 1  2 , for n  +

18*. [Maximum mark: 9] [without GDC]

A sequence is defined recursively by
the first two terms u1  5 and u 2  8
and the recursive relation u n 1  2u n  u n 1

Prove by induction that u n  3n  2 , for n  +

INEQUALITIES

19*. [Maximum mark: 8] [without GDC]

Prove by mathematical induction that
(n  1)! 2 n n for any integer n  3 .

20*. [Maximum mark: 8] [without GDC]

Prove by mathematical induction that
3 n  n 2  2n for any integer n  2 .

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TRIGONOMETRY

21. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Prove by mathematical induction that for all n  Z  , sin x  0 ,

sin 2n x
 cos x  cos 2 x ⋯  cos 2n 1 x  
2n sin x

22**. [Maximum mark: 10] [without GDC]

(a) Show that sin 2nx  sin(( 2n  1) x ) cos x  cos(( 2n  1) x ) sin x . [2]
(b) Hence prove, by mathematical induction,
sin 2nx
cos x  cos 3 x  cos 5 x  ⋯  cos(( 2n  1) x) 
2 sin x
for all n  Z  , sin x  0 [8]

23**. [Maximum mark: 10] [without GDC]

(a) Show that cos 2nx  cos(( 2n  1) x ) cos x  sin(( 2n  1) x ) sin x . [2]
(b) Hence prove, by mathematical induction,
1  cos 2nx
sin x  sin 3x  sin 5 x  ⋯  sin(( 2n  1) x) 
2 sin x
for all n  Z  , sin x  0 [8]

DERIVATIVES

24. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Let f ( x )  ln x . Prove by mathematical induction that

( n  1)!
f ( n ) ( x)  ( 1) n 1
xn

25. [Maximum mark: 10] [without GDC]

Let f ( x )  e3 x
( n)
(a) Find the first three derivatives of f (x ) , and thus guess a formula for f ( x) . [4]
(b) Prove by mathematical induction that your guess is true. [6]

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26. [Maximum mark: 15] [without GDC]

The function f is defined by f ( x )  ln( x  1)

Let f ( n ) ( x ) denote the result of differentiating f (x) with respect to x, n times.

a
(a) Find f ( x ) , f ( x ) , f ( x ) , and f (4) ( x ) each in the form [5]
( x  1) m
(b) Guess a formula for f ( n ) ( x ) . [3]
(c) Use mathematical induction to prove that your guess is true. [7]

27. [Maximum mark: 10] [without GDC]

Given that the derivative of x is 1, and using only the product rule, prove by
d n
mathematical induction that (x ) = nxn–1, for all positive integer values of n.
dx

28. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

dn  n 
Using mathematical induction, prove that n
(cos x )  cos x  , for all positive
dx  2 
integer values of n.

29. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

The function f is defined by f (x) = e px(x + 1), here p  .

(i) Show that f ΄(x) = e px(p(x + 1) + 1).

(ii) Let f ( n ) ( x ) denote the result of differentiating f (x) with respect to x, n times.

Use mathematical induction to prove that

f ( n ) ( x) = pn–1epx (p(x + 1) + n), n +.

30. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

Given that y  xe  x ,

dy
(a) find
dx
dny
(b) use mathematical induction to prove that, for n  +,  ( 1) n 1 e x ( n  x)
dx n

31. [Maximum mark: 9] [without GDC]

The function f is defined by f ( x )  xe 2 x .
Use mathematical induction to prove that

for all n  , where f ( n ) ( x ) represents the n th derivative of f ( x ) .

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32. [Maximum mark: 8] [without GDC]

The function f is defined by f ( x )  sin 2 x .
Use mathematical induction to prove that
f (2 n ) ( x)  (4) n sin 2 x

for all n  , where f ( n ) ( x ) represents the n th derivative of f ( x ) .

COMPLEX NUMBERS

33. [Maximum mark: 10] [without GDC]

(a) Evaluate (1 + i)2, where i = 1 . [2]

(b) Prove, by mathematical induction, that (1 + i)4n = (–4)n, where n  *. [6]

(c) Hence or otherwise, find (1 + i)32. [2]

34. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Use mathematical induction to prove De Moivre’s theorem

(cosθ+ i sinθ)n = cos(nθ) + i sin(nθ), n +

.

35. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

Use mathematical induction to prove that for n  +,

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