Axioms for the Real Numbers and Integers

We assume that the following statements are true:

1. Existence There exists a set R consisting of all real numbers. It contains a subset Z ⊆ R consisting of all integers.

2. Closure of Z: If a and b are integers, then so are a + b and ab.

3. Closure of R: If a and b are real numbers, then so are a + b and ab.

4. Commutativity: a + b = b + a and ab = ba for all real numbers a and b.

5. Associativity: (a + b) + c = a + (b + c) and (ab)c = a(bc) for all real numbers a, b, and c.

6. Distributivity: $\forall xyz\in \mathbb{R}$

• left: a⋆(b ⁜ c) = a⋆b ⁜ a⋆c

• right: (a ⁜ b) ⋆ c = a⋆c ⁜ b⋆c

1. Zero: 0 is an integer that satisfies a + 0 = a = 0 + a for every real number a.

2. One: 1 is an integer that is not equal to zero and satisfies a · 1 = a = 1 · a for every real number a.

3. Additive inverses: If a is any real number, there is a unique real number −a such that a + (−a) = 0. If a is an integer, then so is −a.

4. Multiplicative inverses: If a is any nonzero real number, there is a unique real number a−1 such that a · a−1 = 1.

5. Trichotomy: If a and b are real numbers, then one and only one of the following 3 statements is true: a < b, a = b, or a > b.

6. Closure of R+: If a and b are positive real numbers, then so are a + b and ab

7. Addition law for inequalities: If a, b, and c are real numbers and a < b, then a + c < b + c

8. The well ordering axiom: Every nonempty set of positive integers contains a smallest integer.

9. The least upper bound axiom: Every nonempty set of real numbers that has an upper bound has a least upper bound.

Properties of Operations

These theorems can be proved from the axioms in the order listed below.

1. Properties of zero

• a) a − a = 0

• b) 0 − a = −a

• c) 0 · a = 0

• d) If ab = 0, then a = 0 or b = 0

1. Properties of signs

• a) −0 = 0

• b) −(−a) = a

• c) (−a)b = −(ab) = a(−b)

• d) (−a)(−b) = ab

• e) −a = (−1)a

1. More distributive properties

• a) −(a + b) = (−a) + (−b) = −a − b

• b) −(a − b) = b − a

• c) −(−a − b) = a + b

• d) a + a = 2a

• e) a(b − c) = ab − ac = (b − c)a

• f) (a + b)(c + d) = ac + ad + bc + bd

• g) (a + b)(c − d) = ac − ad + bc − bd = (c − d)(a + b)

• h) (a − b)(c − d) = ac − ad − bc + bd

1. Properties of inverses (a) If a is nonzero, then so is a−1 (b) 1−1 = 1 (c) (a−1)−1 = a if a is nonzero (d) (−a)−1 = −(a−1) if a is nonzero (e) (ab)−1 = a−1b−1 if a and b are nonzero (f) (a/b)−1 = b/a if a and b are nonzero

2. Properties of quotients (a) a/1 = a. (b) 1/a = a−1 if a is nonzero. (c) a/a = 1 if a is nonzero. (d) (a/b)(c/d) = (ac)/(bd) if b and d are nonzero. (e) (a/b)/(c/d) = (ad)/(bc) if b, c, and d are nonzero. (f) (ac)/(bc) = a/b if b and c are nonzero. (g) a(b/c) = (ab)/c if c is nonzero. (h) (ab)/b = a if b is nonzero. (i) (−a)/b = −(a/b) = a/(−b) if b is nonzero. (j) (−a)/(−b) = a/b if b is nonzero. (k) a/b + c/d = (ad + bc)/(bd) if b and d are nonzero. (l) a/b − c/d = (ad − bc)/(bd) if b and d are nonzero

3. Transitivity of inequalities (a) If a < b and b < c, then a < c (b) If a ≤ b and b < c, then a < c (c) If a < b and b ≤ c, then a < c (d) If a ≤ b and b ≤ c, then a ≤ c

4. Other Properties of inequalities (a) If a ≤ b and b ≤ a, then a = b (b) If a < b, then −a > −b (c) 0 < 1 (d) If a > 0, then a−1 > 0 (e) If a < 0, then a−1 < 0 (f) If a < b and a and b are both positive, then a−1 > b−1. (g) If a < b and c < d, then a + c < b + d. (h) If a ≤ b and c < d, then a + c < b + d. (i) If a ≤ b and c ≤ d, then a + c ≤ b + d. (j) If a < b and c > 0, then ac < bc. (k) If a < b and c < 0, then ac > bc. (l) If a ≤ b and c > 0, then ac ≤ bc. (m) If a ≤ b and c < 0, then ac ≥ bc. (n) If a < b and c < d, and a, b, c, d are nonnegative, then ac < bd. (o) If a ≤ b and c ≤ d, and a, b, c, d are nonnegative, then ac ≤ bd. (p) ab > 0 iff a and b are both positive or both negative. (q) ab < 0 iff one is positive and the other is negative. (r) There is no smallest positive real number. (s) (Density) If a and b are two distinct real numbers, then there are infinitely many rational numbers and infinitely many irrational numbers between a and b

5. Properties of squares (a) For every a, a2 ≥ 0 (b) a2 = 0 iff a = 0 (c) a2 > 0 iff a > 0 (d) (−a)2 = a2 (e) (a−1)2 = 1/a2 (f) If a2 = b2, then a = ±b (g) If a < b and a and b are both nonnegative, then a2 < b2 (h) If a < b and a and b are both negative, then a2 > b2

6. Properties of Square Roots (a) If a is any nonnegative real number, there is a unique nonnegative real number √a such that √a
   2 = a (b) If a = b and a and b are both nonnegative, then √a = √b (c) If a < b and a and b are both nonnegative, then √a < √b (d) If a2 = b and b is nonnegative, then a = ±√b

7. Properties of Absolute Values

• a) If a is any real number, then |a| ≥ 0.

• b) |a| = 0 iff a = 0.

• c) |a| > 0 iff a 6= 0.

• d) | − a| = |a|.

• e) |a| = √a2.

• f) |a| = max{a, −a}.

• g) |a−1| = 1/|a| if a 6= 0.

• h) |ab| = |a| |b|.

• i) |a/b| = |a|/|b| if b 6= 0.

• j) |a| = |b| iff a = ±b.

• k) If a and b are both nonnegative, then |a| ≥ |b| iff a ≥ b.

• l) If a and b are both negative, then |a| ≥ |b| iff a ≤ b.

• m) (The triangle inequality) |a + b| ≤ |a| + |b|.

• n) (The reverse triangle inequality) |a| − |b| ≤ |a − b|

1. Order properties of integers

• a) 1 is the smallest positive integer.

• b) If m and n are integers such that m > n, then m ≥ n + 1

• c) There is no largest or smallest integer

1. Properties of Even and Odd Integers

• In each of the following statements, m and n are assumed to be integers

• a) n is even iff n = 2k for some int k, and odd iff n = 2k + 1 for some int k

• b) m + n is even iff m and n are both odd or both even

• c) m + n is odd iff one of the summands is even and the other is odd

• d) mn is even iff m or n is even

• e) mn is odd iff m and n are both odd

• f) n2 is even iff n is even, and odd iff n is odd

1. Properties of Exponents

• In these statements, m and n are positive integers

• a) anbn = (ab)n

• b) am+n = ambn

• c) (am)n = amn

• d) an/bn = (a/b)n if b is nonzero