Why is my negation of a math statement incorrect?

  • MHB
  • Thread starter tmt1
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In summary, the correct negation is $\exists C\in\mathbb{R}, \exists N>0, \forall k, k>N \implies x_k \le C$.
  • #1
tmt1
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I'm trying to get the negation of this statement:

$\forall C \in \Bbb{R}$ , there is no positive integer $N $ such that if $ k > n$, then $ {x}_{k} > C$I get $\exists C \in R$ such that, $\exists $ a positive integer $N$ , such that if $k > n$ then ${x}_{k} \le C$

but apparently the correct answer is

$\exists C \in R$, $\exists $ a positive integer $N$ , such that if $k > n$ then ${x}_{k} > C$

I can't figure out why
 
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  • #2
The negation of $\forall C\,\neg A$ is $\exists C\,A$, so the part of the statement after "there is no positive integer $N$" is unchanged.

By the way, the original statement is not stated clearly enough.

tmt said:
$\forall C \in \Bbb{R}$ , there is no positive integer $N $ such that if $ k > n$, then $ {x}_{k} > C$
Are $N$ and $n$ the same? Is $k$ some fixed parameter or is it introduced by another quantifier that is omitted?
 
  • #3
Evgeny.Makarov said:
The negation of $\forall C\,\neg A$ is $\exists C\,A$, so the part of the statement after "there is no positive integer $N$" is unchanged.

By the way, the original statement is not stated clearly enough.

Are $N$ and $n$ the same? Is $k$ some fixed parameter or is it introduced by another quantifier that is omitted?

I guess my professor is trying to confuse us ...
 
  • #4
Presumably, it means, "… integer $N$ such that for all $k$, if $k>N$, …".
 

FAQ: Why is my negation of a math statement incorrect?

1. What is the definition of negation in math?

The negation of a math statement is the opposite or reverse of the original statement. It is denoted by adding the word "not" or using the symbol ¬ (tilde) in front of the statement.

2. How do you negate a simple math statement?

To negate a simple math statement, you can add the word "not" in front of the statement. For example, "2+2=4" would become "not 2+2=4" or "2+2≠4".

3. Can negation change the truth value of a math statement?

Yes, negation can change the truth value of a math statement. For example, if the original statement is "2+2=4" which is true, the negation of this statement would be "not 2+2=4" or "2+2≠4" which is false.

4. What is the difference between negation and contradiction in math?

Negation is the opposite of a math statement, while contradiction is a statement that is always false regardless of its truth value. Negation can change the truth value of a statement, while contradiction cannot.

5. How do you use De Morgan's laws to simplify a negated math statement?

De Morgan's laws state that the negation of a conjunction (AND) is the disjunction (OR) of the negations, and the negation of a disjunction is the conjunction of the negations. This means that you can distribute the negation to each individual statement and switch the logical operator. For example, the negation of "x>y AND z≤5" would be "not x>y OR not z≤5".

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