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for all real numbers a and b, if a+b<200, then either a,100 or b<100.?

I need to prove this by contradiction. I'm not completely sure what the contradiction of this statement is. Thanks!

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  • 9 years ago
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    Suppose the contrary, that it is possible to find a>100 and b>100 so a+b<200.

    Then a = 100 + a' , b = 100 + b', where a'>0 and b'>0.

    You can write:

    a + b = 100 + a' + 100 + b' = 200 + a' + b'

    As a'>0 and b'>0 => 200 + a' + b' > 200 = > a+b >200 which is a contradiction with the premise of the problem, so either a<100 or b<100

  • 9 years ago

    Take a situation where a=b=100.

    a+b will be 200=200 and 200 is not<200.This is a contradiction.

    Now take a case where both a>100,b>100.

    Here the sum a+b should obviously be greater than 200 as a>100 and b>100(Contradictory).

    If you take a<100,b<100 a+b would obviously be less than 200(Contradictory point).

    Now take another case where a<100 and b>100.

    If b is greater than 200 which is also greater than 100, a can be given a negative value so that sum is less than 200(Negative because real numbers contain negative numbers).

    Similarly it holds good for a>100 and b<100.

    Therefore we can say that for all real numbers a and b, if a+b<200, then either a,100 or b<100.

  • 9 years ago

    When you negate a statement, "or" becomes "and" and "<" becomes ">=" (greater than or equal to)

    So negating "either a < 100 or b < 100" gives "both a >= 100 and b > = 100"

    So suppose both a >= 100 and b > = 100.

    Then a + b >= 100 + 100 = 200. But we're assuming that a + b < 100. We have a contradiction!

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