Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications, Seventh Edition

Published by McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN 10: 0073383090
ISBN 13: 978-0-07338-309-5

Chapter 1 - Section 1.7 - Introduction to Proofs - Exercises - Page 91: 24

Answer

Method of Proof: Proof by Contradiction (Reductio ad Absurdum)

Work Step by Step

To prove: That at least three of any 25 days chosen must fall in the same month of the year. Hypothesis: Let us assume the negation of this statement, i.e there is no month in which 3 or more dates fall. So each of the 12 months can have at most 2 dates in it. But that accounts for at most $ 12 \times 2 =24$ months and we are given that there are 25 days. Thus, our hypothesis must be false and there indeed is a month in which at least 3 days fall. Hence proved.
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