A student argues: *' equals , , , when , which are all even, so is even for every positive integer .'* What is wrong with this argument?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Checking some cases does not prove the statement for every
- Step 1: Four examples cannot cover infinitely many integers; a proof must work for all .
- Step 2: (The conclusion is in fact true: is a product of consecutive integers, one of which is even. But the student's argument does not show it.)
Answer
Checking some cases does not prove the statement for every .
Why not the others: The values listed are even and the conclusion is true; the flaw is in the method, not in the arithmetic or the starting value.
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