[Math] Use an induction argument to prove that for any natural number $n$, the interval $(n,n+1)$ does not contain any natural number.

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Use an induction argument to prove that for any natural number $n$, the interval $(n,n+1)$ does not contain any natural number.

I don't know where I could go with an induction argument. I was thinking of proving that if $s\in (n,n+1)$, where $s$ is a natural number, then $s-n$ is a natural number which lies in $(0,1)$, which is impossible as all natural numbers are bounded below by $1$.

However, this assumes that natural numbers are closed under addition. Also, this does not use induction.

Any pointers for this question?

Best Answer

  1. Every natural number except $0$ is the successor of a natural number. The proof is by induction: the statement is vacuously true for $0$; and if it holds for $n$, it holds for $n+1$.

  2. Every natural number is $\ge 0$. Again, by induction: true for $0$, and if $n\ge 0$, then $n+1\ge 0+1 > 0$.

Now suppose $q$ is a natural number strictly between $0$ and $1$. Since $q$ is not zero, it is the successor of some natural number $q'$ (by 1.) that is $\ge 0$ (by 2.). But $q'\ge 0$ implies that $q=q'+1\ge 0+1=1$, which contradicts the assumption that $q<1$. Therefore there is no natural number between $0$ and $1$.

Finally,

  1. For any natural number $n$, there is no natural number between $n$ and $n+1$. We've just proven the base case ($n=0$). And if there were a natural number $q$ between $n+1$ and $n+2$, then it would be the successor of some $q'$ (by 1.), and that $q'$ would have to lie between $n$ and $n+1$, because if $q'\le n$ then $q=q'+1\le n+1$, and if $q'\ge n+1$ then $q=q'+1\ge n+2$. Therefore, if the statement holds for $n$, it holds for $n+1$.
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