Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications, Seventh Edition

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

Chapter 5 - Section 5.2 - Strong Induction and Well-Ordering - Exercises - Page 344: 39

Answer

The answer is clearly “no.” There are a finite number of English words.

Work Step by Step

--This is a paradox caused by self-reference. -The answer is clearly “no.” There are a finite number of English words, so -only a finite number of strings of 15 words or fewer; therefore, -only a finite number of positive integers can be so described, not all of them.
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