FIRST TERM

MATHEMATICS PROJECT
2014-15
A BREIF ANALYSIS ON FIRST n
NATURAL NUMBERS USING
MATHEMATICAL INDUCTION
BY
JOYDEEP NASKAR
OF
CLASS- XI SCIENCE,

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA, IIM JOKA

A F T E R IN T E R A C T I N G IN
T HI S PR E SE N TAT IO N
Youll be able to:
1. Define the Principle of Mathematical Induction.
2. Find out the value of the sum of the first n
natural numbers.
3. Find out the value of the sum of the squares of
the first n natural numbers.
4. Find out the value of the sum of the cubes of the
first n natural numbers.

 Let us go back to our

childhood
mathematics classes
where we started
counting
Natural numbers start
from 1 and goes on
endlessly till what
we call infinity.
G. Peano
The mathematician who
deduced the properties of
natural numbers

Let us add the consecutive natural numbers starting

from 1:
We get:
1+2=3
1+2+3=6
1+2+3+4=10
1+2+3+5=15

But what about

1+2+3+4+5++n= ?
Is there any way we can find
out the value of the Sum of
the first n natural
numbers (where, nN)?

John Wallis
Coined the term
Induction

 Here, I give you a formula:

1+2+3+4+5++n=
But, who told you that my formula is correct?
How can you check the validity of this formula?
Now, here comes the concept of Mathematical
Induction to check the validity of a given
formula.

THE PRINCIPLE OF
MATHEMATICAL INDUCTION
Suppose there is a given statement P(n) involving the natural
numbers n such that
(i) The statement is true for n=1, i.e., P(1) is true.
(ii) If the statement is true for n= k (where k is some positive
integer), then the statement is also true for n=k+1, i.e., truth P(k)
implies the truth of P(k+1).
Then, P(n) is true for all natural numbers n.

We have the formula:

1+2+3+4+5++n=
Lets see if this formula is valid for the base

value, i.e., 1 in this case.

P(1): 1 =
L.H.S= 1
R.H.S= = = =1= L.H.S
:. The formula is true for P(1).

For n=k,

P(k):
1+2+3+..+k = We get this by using the formula we have. But
we have not yet verified its validity. Let us assume that P(k) is
true.

For n=k+1,

P(k+1):
1+2+3+4+.+k+(k+1)=
But, P(k+1) is true, only when P(k) is true.
Let us mathematically establish the validity of P(k+1) using P(k).
So if P(k) is true, P(k+1) is also true.

L.H.S= 1+2+3+.+k+(k+1)

= {1+2+3+.+k} + (k+1)
= +
= (k+1) (+1)
= (k+1) ()
=
= R.H.S
Hence the formula
1+2+3+4+5++n=
is true for all natural numbers n.

*So we have found a formula to find out the sum of

first n natural numbers.

*Now lets come to squares of natural numbers.

*We have:
*12 + 22 = 5
*12 + 22 + 32 = 14
*12 + 22 + 32 + 42 = 30
*12 + 22 + 32 + 42 + 52 = 55

For n=1,
P(1): 12 =
L.H.S= 12 = 1
R.H.S= = = = 1 = L.H.S
:. The formula is true for P(1).

For n=k,
P(k):
12 + 22 + 32 + 42 + 52 + + k2=

Now, what about the sum of the squares of the

first n natural numbers?

Once again, I give you a formula:

12 + 22 + 32 + 42 + 52 + + n2=

Let us now check the validity of this formula using

principles of mathematical induction.

 n=(k+1),
For
12 + 22 + 32 + + k2 + (k+1)2 =
Let us check its validity.
L.H.S = 12 + 22 + 32 + + k2 + (k+1)2

= {12 + 22 + 32 + + k2 } + (k+1)2
=
+ (k+1)2
=
(k+1) { (k+1)}
=
(k+1) {
= (k+1)
= = R.H.S.
Hence, the formula is true for all values of n.

 Now

lets come to cubes of natural numbers.

We have:
13 + 23 = 9
13 + 23 + 33 = 36
13 + 23 + 33 + 43 = 100
13 + 23 + 33 + 43 + 53 = 225
Now, what

about the sum of the cubes of the first

n natural numbers?

Here, once again, I give you a formula:

13 + 23 + 3 3 + 43 + 53 + + n3 = { 2
Let us now check the validity of this formula using
principles of mathematical induction.


For
n=1,
P(1): 13 ={2
L.H.S= 13 = 1
R.H.S= {2 = 2 = 12 = 1 = L.H.S
:. The formula is true for P(1).

For n=k,
P(k): 13 + 23 + 33 + 43 + 53 + + k3 = {2
For n=(k+1),
P(k): 13 + 23 + 33 + + k3 + (k+1)3= {2
Let us check its validity.
L.H.S= 13 + 23 + 33 + + k3 + (k+1)3

{13 + 23 + 33 + + k3} + (k+1)3

= {2 + (k+1)3
=

= (k+1)2 {}

= (k+1)2 {+
= 2
= {2
= R.H.S
Hence, the formula

13 + 23 + 33 + 43 + 53 + + n3 = {2
is true for all values of n.

Have you thought this?

Recall the formula with which we started this
presentation, i.e,

1+2+3+4+5++n=
Now, try to relate it with the formula you learnt just

now, i.e.,
13 + 23 + 33 + 43 + 53 + + n3 = {2
Do you notice any special similarity in their
expression?

The R.H.S of the last formula we learnt in this

presentation is nothing but the square of the
R.H.S of the first formula we started with.
So, we can also say that the L.H.S of the last
formula is equal to the square of the first
formula, i.e,

13 + 23 + 33 + 43 + 53 + + n3 = (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 +
+n)

Let us try an example now.

Example:

Is 13 + 23 + 33 = (1+2+3) ?
Solution:
L.H.S= 13 + 23 + 33

= 1 + 8 + 27

= 36
R.H.S= (1+2+3)

= (6)

= 36
Since, L.H.S = R.H.S
Hence proved that,
Yes, 13 + 23 + 33 = (1+2+3) .

Blaise Pascal
Credited with the
origin of Mathematical
Induction

THROUGHOUT AND AFTER

T H I S P R E S E N TAT I O N

You have learnt and understood, the principle of

mathematical induction, and how to apply it to verify a

given formula.
Let us recall our three formulae:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + + n =
12 + 22 + 32 + 42 + 52 + + n2=
13 + 23 + 33 + 43 + 53 + + n3 = {2

Resources:
NCERT Mathematics Textbook for Class XI
Google Images

Acknowledgement:
Thank you for your positive response and valuable interaction.
This is a self-made presentation by Joydeep Naskar, of class XIScience, Kendriya Vidyalaya, IIM Joka.
For suggestions upon improvement, and/or discussion, drop a
mail to: naskarjoydeep@gmail.com
Signature:

Dated: 23.08.2014