Tutorial 4
FM 1021
Foundations of mathematics
May 31, 2026
Exercise 1. Use the method of proof by contradiction to prove the following statements.
(In each case, you should also think about how a direct or contrapositive proof would work.
You will find in most cases that proof by contradiction is easier.)
1. There does not exist a smallest positive real number.
√
2. Prove that 3 is irrational.
3. Suppose a, b ∈ R. If a is rational and ab is irrational, then b is irrational.
4. For every positive x ∈ Q, there is a positive y ∈ Q for which y < x.
√ √ √
5. Prove that if x and y are positive real numbers, then x + y ̸= x + y.
Exercise 2. Disprove by using a counterexample.
1. Consider the statement:
If x ∈ R, then (x2 − 1)2 > 0.
or, equivalently,
For every real number x, (x2 − 1)2 > 0.
Show that the statement is false by giving a counterexample.
2. Disprove the following statements:
(a) If x is a real number, then tan2 x + 1 = sec2 x.
(b) If x ∈ Z, then
x2 + x x+1
=
x2 − x x−1
(c) For every odd positive integer n, 3 | (n2 − 1).
(d) Let n ∈ Z. If n2 + 3n is even, then n is odd.
(e) If n is an odd integer, then n2 − n is odd.
1
3. Show that the following statements are false:
(a) Let n ∈ Z. If 4 | (n2 − 1), then 4 | (n − 1).
c
(b) For positive integers a, b, c, ab = (ab )c .
(c) Let a and b be nonzero real numbers. If x, y ∈ R+ , then
a2 2 b2 2
x + y > xy
2b2 2a2
Exercise 3. Prove the following biconditional statements:
1. Let n ∈ Z. Prove that 3n + 7 is even if and only if n is odd.
2. Let x, y ∈ Z. Prove that xy is odd if and only if both x and y are odd.
3. Let x ∈ R. Prove that x3 − x2 − 2x = 0 if and only if x ∈ {−1, 0, 2}.