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Exercise 1041Logic, sets and proofs › Proof techniques › InductionL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Product by induction

#induction#product#telescoping

Statement

Prove by induction: ∏k=1n(1+1k)=n+1\prod_{k=1}^{n}\left(1+\frac{1}{k}\right)=n+1.

Hint

1+1/k=(k+1)/k1+1/k=(k+1)/k, telescoping.

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Solution

Base case. n=1n=1: 1+1=21+1=2. ✓

Inductive step. Assume the product equals n+1n+1. Then
∏k=1n+1(1+1k)=(n+1)⋅(1+1n+1)=(n+1)⋅n+2n+1=n+2.\prod_{k=1}^{n+1}\left(1+\frac1k\right)=(n+1)\cdot\left(1+\frac{1}{n+1}\right)=(n+1)\cdot\frac{n+2}{n+1}=n+2.

Conclusion. The product equals n+1n+1 for all n≥1n\ge1.