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LemmaStatement: AI-adaptedProof: AI-adaptedSession-authored (Fable 5 assisted)precheck passjudge pass (z-ai/glm-5.2)verified 2026-07-26 (claude-opus-5)
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Triangle inequality for finite sums

Statement

Let a:NRa : \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{R} be a sequence of reals and nNn \in \mathbb{N}, with finite sums as in Finite sums and finite products, by recursion and the absolute value as in Absolute value in an ordered field. Then

k<nakk<nak.\Big|\sum_{k<n} a_k\Big| \le \sum_{k<n} |a_k|.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A sequence a:NRa : \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{R} and a natural nn.

[L1]

Recursion clauses (Finite sums and finite products, by recursion): k<0ak=0\sum_{k<0} a_k = 0 and k<n+1ak=k<nak+an\sum_{k<n+1} a_k = \sum_{k<n} a_k + a_n.

[L2]

Two-term triangle inequality: x+yx+y|x + y| \le |x| + |y| (The triangle inequality).

[L3]

Basic absolute value facts: x0|x| \ge 0 and 0=0|0| = 0 (Basic properties of the absolute value, Absolute value in an ordered field).

[L4]

Adding a constant preserves the order: Order is preserved by adding a constant and by adding inequalities gives x<yx+c<y+cx < y \Rightarrow x + c < y + c and states no nonstrict form, so the form used below, xyx+cy+cx \le y \Rightarrow x + c \le y + c, is that statement together with the case x=yx = y, which trichotomy settles; and \le is transitive (Ordered field).

[L5]

Proof

technique · induction
1.1

Base case n=0n = 0: both sides are 00, since k<0ak=0=0\big|\sum_{k<0} a_k\big| = |0| = 0 and k<0ak=0\sum_{k<0}|a_k| = 0, so the inequality holds.

baseL1L3
1.2

Inductive hypothesis: fix nNn \in \mathbb{N} and assume k<nakk<nak\big|\sum_{k<n} a_k\big| \le \sum_{k<n} |a_k|.

ih
2.1

Splitting off the last term and applying the two-term triangle inequality: k<n+1ak=k<nak+ank<nak+an\big|\sum_{k<n+1} a_k\big| = \big|\sum_{k<n} a_k + a_n\big| \le \big|\sum_{k<n} a_k\big| + |a_n|.

step 1.2L1L2
3.1

Adding an|a_n| to both sides of the inductive hypothesis gives k<nak+ank<nak+an=k<n+1ak\big|\sum_{k<n} a_k\big| + |a_n| \le \sum_{k<n}|a_k| + |a_n| = \sum_{k<n+1}|a_k|, so transitivity yields k<n+1akk<n+1ak\big|\sum_{k<n+1} a_k\big| \le \sum_{k<n+1}|a_k|.

step 1.2step 2.1L1L4
4.1

By the induction principle the inequality holds for every nNn \in \mathbb{N}.

step 1.1step 3.1L5discharge-induction

Depends on

Used by

Dependency tree · next 3 levels

Direct dependencies and their dependencies through the next three levels: 31 results over 10 levels. An arrow runs from a result to what uses it, and this result sits at the bottom with a heavier outline. Click the chart to enlarge it.

Sources