Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Beautiful Proof By Induction, Lars-Daniel Öhman

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The purpose of this note is to present an example of a proof by induction that in the opinion of the present author has great aesthetic value. The proof in question is Thomassen's proof that planar graphs are 5-choosable. I give a self-contained presentation of this result and its proof, and a personal account of why I think this proof is beautiful.

A secondary purpose is to more widely publicize this gem, and hopefully make it part of a standard set of examples for examining characteristics of proofs by induction.

Mathematics Found In Poetry, Alexis Mann

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

No abstract provided.

The Poetics Of E=Mc2, Richard A. Schwartz

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Illumination And Geometry In Islamic Art, Salma Marani

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

No abstract provided.

On Mathematics In Poetry, John S. Lew

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Symmetry: A Link Between Mathematics And Life, Catherine A. Gorini

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Tilings In Art And Science, James E, Hall

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Mathematics As An Aesthetic Discipline, J. D. Phillips

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Like Poetry, Mathematics Is Beautiful, Joanne Growney

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

No abstract provided.