Part one: Proof techinques

Proof by induction (used on equations with n in them. Induction techniques are very popular, even the Army uses them.)

Example: Proof of induction without proof of induction.

We know it's true for n equal to 1. Now assume that it's true for every natural number less than n. N is arbitrary, so we can take n as large as we want.
If n is sufficiently large, the case of n+1 is trivially equivalent, so the only important n are n less than n.
We can take n=n (from above), so it's true for n+1 becuase it's just about n.

QED (QED translated from the Latin as "So what?")

Proof by oddity

Example: To prove that horses have an infinite number of legs.

Horses have an even number of legs. They have two legs in back and fore legs in front. This makes a total of six legs, which certainly is an odd number of legs for a horse. But the only number that is both odd and even is infinity. Therefore, horses must have an infinite number of legs.

Topics is be covered in future issues include:

• Proof by intimidation
• Proof by gesticulation (handwaving)
• Proof by overwhelming evidence
• Proof by blatant assertion
• Proof by definition
• Proof by constipation (I was just sitting there and...)
• Proof by mutual consent
• Proof by changing all the 2's to n's
• Proof by lack of a counterexample
• Proof by elliptical reasoning
• bullet proof
• 86% proof
• it stands to reason
• try it; it works
• proof by linear combination of the above