We all know that 0 can never be equal to 1, and 1 can never be equal to 2. But using some tricky ways we can prove 0=1 and 1=2. And of course, there must be some mistakes in the proofs. Let’s find out below.
Table of Contents
0=1 Proof
First Proof of 0=1: To conclude 1=2, we will use an infinite series. See the below steps. You need to spot the mistakes in the proof.
Step 1: We have
0=0+0+0+…
Step 2: Write each zero on the right-hand side as 0=1-1. So we get that
0=(1-1)+(1-1)+(1-1)+…
Step 3: Rearrange the parentheses in the following way:
0=1+(-1+1)+(-1+1)+(-1+1)+…
Step 4: Put -1+1=0
0=1+0+0+0+…
So finally we get that
0=1
[Second Proof of 0=1]
Step 1: We have
0=0
Step 2: Rewriting it we obtain that
12-12=16-16
⇒ 3.4-3.4 = 4.4-4.4
Step 3: Taking commons we have
3(4-4)=4(4-4)
Step 4: Cancelling 4-4 from both sides, we get that
$3 \cdot \cancel{(4-4)}=4 \cdot \cancel{(4-4)}$
$\Rightarrow 3=4$
$\Rightarrow 3+0=3+1$
Thus, we have
0=1
[Third Proof of 0=1]
Step 1: We have
-20=-20
Step 2: Rewriting -20 of both sides we have
16-36=25-45
⇒ 42-4.9 = 52-5.9
Step 3: Adding 81/4 to both sides, we obtain
$4^2-4\cdot 9+\frac{81}{4}$ $=5^2-5\cdot 9 +\frac{81}{4}$
$\Rightarrow 4^2-2\cdot 2\cdot \frac{9}{2}+(\frac{9}{2})^2$ $=5^2-2\cdot 5\cdot \frac{9}{2}+(\frac{9}{2})^2$
$\Rightarrow (4-\frac{9}{2})^2=(5-\frac{9}{2})^2$
Step 4: Taking square roots on both sides, we have
$4-\frac{9}{2}=5-\frac{9}{2}$
Step 5: Cancelling 9/2 from both sides, we have
$4-\cancel{\frac{9}{2}}=5-\cancel{\frac{9}{2}}$
$\Rightarrow 4=5$
$\Rightarrow 4+0=4+1$
It follows that
0=1
1=2 Proof
First Proof of 1=2: In the first method, we will use algebra. We will follow the following steps to conclude 1=2. But this is not true. So there must be a mistake in the proof. You have to find them.
Step 1: Let a=b
Step 2: Multiplying both sides by a, we get
a2=ab
Step 3: Subtract b2 from both sides.
a2-b2=ab-b2
Step 4: Factorise both sides. Doing that we get
(a-b)(a+b)=b(a-b)
Step 5: Cancelling a-b from both sides, we have
a+b=b
Step 6: Put b in the place of a as we have a=b.
b+b=b
⇒ 2b=b
⇒ 2=1
Second Proof of 1=2: To prove 1=2, we will now use the theory of calculus. First, observe the following patterns:
22=2+2 (2 times)
32=3+3+3 (3 times)
42=4+4+4+4 (4 times)
$\vdots \quad \vdots \quad \vdots$
$x^2=x+x+\cdots +x$ (x times)
Differentiating both sides with respect to x, we get
$\dfrac{d}{dx}(x^2)$ $=\dfrac{d}{dx}(x)+\dfrac{d}{dx}(x)+\cdots +\dfrac{d}{dx}(x)$
$\Rightarrow 2x=1+1+\cdots +1$ (x times)
$\Rightarrow 2x=x$
$\Rightarrow 2=1$
This article is written by Dr. T. Mandal, Ph.D in Mathematics. On Mathstoon.com you will find Maths from very basic level to advanced level. Thanks for visiting.