kmerfeld

Dear all, I'm interested in learning more about the foundations of math. Any reading suggestions? Thanks, kmerfeld

I think I figured it out: I want to show [latex]y \ne x+y [/latex] for all positive integers x and y. So suppose there exists a y such that [latex]y=x+y[/latex] Then by WOP, there exists a smallest x such that: [latex]y=x_{0} +y[/latex] Again by WOP, there exists a smallest y such that: [latex]y_{0}=x_{0}+y_{0}[/latex] Then: [latex]y_{0}-y_{0}=x_{0}[/latex] [latex]0=x_{0}[/latex] But 0 is not a positive number. So this is a contradiction, meaning: [latex]y \ne x+y [/latex] for all positive integers x and y. Now it does seem like I could have done this proof without using WOP, but it still seems to work this way, and this is how I was asked to do it. Thanks everyone. Consider question this solved.

Thanks for your responses. I think I have the jist of it now.

Hello Nehushtan, Thanks for the suggestion. However, the book requires that I first apply the WOP on x. Then it "hints" that I should apply the WOP again... KM

[latex]\ne[/latex] There she goes. Thanks

Hello everyone, I want to prove that for postive integers x, y, y is not equal to x+y. I want to do this using the WOP. Here's what I have done so far: Suppose for some postive integer x, there exists a y st y y+x. By the WOP, there exists a smallest x0 st y=x0+y. Now I think I may have to apply the WOP again, but am not sure. Any advice? Thanks a lot, Kevin P.S. A little help using special BBC code. I'd like to use LaTex but when I try to do the not equal sign it shows up as: [latex]\ne [/latex] How do I get rid of the < br > ?

Hello, I am a beginner in this area. My background is in mathematics but was just hired to work in a biochemistry lab on campus, doing genome reconstruction and modeling. So I'm trying to get up to speed on some biochemistry terms. The first one is flux. Here's my understanding: flux is essentially the amount of a subtance "passing through a certain volume." Is that essentially what it is? The amount of moles moving through a given space? The second is demand reactions. My understanding is that these are reactions that consume metabolites but do not produce anything. That seems like an impossible reaction but that's how it was described to me. Can someone enlighten me on how these reactions work? Thanks a lot, Kevin