Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Spot the error!

  1. #1

    Thread Starter
    Registered User Lior's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2000
    Posts
    307

    Wink Spot the error!

    Hello Guys,
    A few days ago, I saw a letter the mathematics department of some university which I don't remember its name received claiming for a "proof" for the famous 250-years unproved Goldbach's Conjecture.
    Let me just me remind you that the conjecture claims (After Euler's reformulation):

    Every even integer bigger than 3 is a sum (in perhaps more than one way) of two primes (not necessarily distinct).

    OK, Concentrated? if not, warm-up your brain a little. The "proof" is pretty simple, no high mathematics knowledge required.
    So here comes the "proof", just try to spot the error. (I found it after a while)


    A conjecture clearly equivalent to Goldbach's is:
    Conjecture A: Every even integer greater than 5 is a sum of three primes.
    Another conjecture is:
    Conjecture B: Every even integer greater than 5 is a sum of two primes (both odd).

    Theorem AB: Conjecture A and B are equivalent, either both true of both false.
    Proof: Choose any even integer 2n > 5. If conjecture A is true then 2n+2, another even integer greater than 5, must be a sum of three primes;
    they cannot all be odd, so one of them is 2, and this implies that 2n is a sum of two odd primes, implying conjecture B.
    On the other hand, if conjecture B is true then 2n-2 , is either 4 or an even integer greater than 5, must be a sum of two primes;
    This implies that 2n is a sum of three primes, which confirms Conjecture A. Thus, Conjectures A and B are either both true or else both false.

    Theorem C: If any even integer that is a sum of three primes is a sum of two primes too, then Goldbach's conjecture is true.
    Proof: If Goldbach's conjecture is false, there must be an even integer 2n bigger than 5 which is first to violate the conjecture and not to equal the sum of two primes.
    Therefore, 2n-2 is a sum of two primes. This implies 2n is a sum of three primes.
    This can't happen if any even integer that is a sum of three primes is a sum of two primes too.
    Therefore, if any even integer that is a sum of three primes is a sum of two primes too, Goldbach's conjecture is true.

    Theorem G: Any even integer that is a sum of three primes is a sum of two primes too.
    Proof: Here is a proof by contradiction. If theorem G were false, there would be an integer 2n which was the sum of three primes but not the sum of two primes.
    Such an integer would violate Conjecture B without violating Conjecture A, contradicting the equivalence of those conjectures proved in theorem AB.
    Therefore, theorem G can't be false; it must be true.

    Combining theorems G and C proves Goldbach's conjecture.

    Looks logical? think twice...

  2. #2
    Fanatic Member bugzpodder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    787
    Conjecture A and B are equivalent, either both true of both false.
    what happens when they are both false?
    Last edited by bugzpodder; Sep 29th, 2002 at 10:23 AM.
    Massey RuleZ! ^-^__Cheers!__^-^ Massey RuleZ!


    Did you know that...
    The probability that a random rational number has an even denominator is 1/3 (Salamin and Gosper 1972)? This result is independently verified by me (2002)!

  3. #3

    Thread Starter
    Registered User Lior's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2000
    Posts
    307
    You're on the right direction, develop it...

  4. #4

    Thread Starter
    Registered User Lior's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2000
    Posts
    307
    Welp? no one wanna give a try?

  5. #5
    Fanatic Member bugzpodder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    787
    that won't happen. y don't u give out the answer?
    Massey RuleZ! ^-^__Cheers!__^-^ Massey RuleZ!


    Did you know that...
    The probability that a random rational number has an even denominator is 1/3 (Salamin and Gosper 1972)? This result is independently verified by me (2002)!

  6. #6

    Thread Starter
    Registered User Lior's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2000
    Posts
    307
    what's the point? it's not an article, it's a riddle.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  



Click Here to Expand Forum to Full Width