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Why is This Proof Wrong?

12/29/2011 9:35 PM

-1=-1

-1 = -1/1=1/-1

so

-1/1=1/-1

take the square root of both sides

i/1=1/i

multiply both sides by i

a/1 = a

i*i=(1/i)*i

1/a*a=1 and a*a=a^2

so

i^2=1

i^2=-1 by definition

so

-1=1

I know this proof is flawed in some way but I'm not exacly sure how. I have heard a few explanations but I can't get a solid concensus on why it's flawed. Also fell free to post other fun but wrong proofs .

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Re: Why is this proof wrong?

12/30/2011 2:01 AM

In "proofs" of this sort, there are several common things that go astray, among them:
1) Inadvertent division by zero, as when "canceling" factors from both sides of an equation.
2) Introduction of extraneous solutions, as in squaring both sides of an equation, which admits both positive and negative square roots, one of which may not satisfy the original equation. (There are videos about extraneous solutions.)
3) Using unmotivated steps such as -1/1=1/-1; a sure clue some sleight-of-hand is about to occur.

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