Mathematics Stack Exchange
Mathematics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [examples-counterexamples]

To be used for questions whose central topic is a request for examples where a mathematical property holds, or counterexamples where it does not hold. This tag should be used in conjunction with another tag to clearly specify the subject.

Examples and counterexamples are great ways to learn about the intricacies of definitions in mathematics. Counterexamples are especially useful in topology and analysis where most things are fairly intuitive, but every now and then one may run into borderline cases where the naive intuition may disagree with the actual situation that follows from the definitions. This tag should be used in conjunction with another tag to clearly specify the subject.

Do not use for any question containing an example or a counterexample. The question must specifically be about examples or counterexamples.

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Examples of patterns that eventually fail

Often, when I try to describe mathematics to the layman, I find myself struggling to convince them of the importance and consequence of "proof". I receive responses like: "surely if Collatz is true up to $20×2^{58}$, then it must always be true?";…
Matt
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Does there exist a bijection of $\mathbb{R}^n$ with itself such that the forward map is connected but the inverse is not?

Let $(X,\tau), (Y,\sigma)$ be two topological spaces. We say that a map $f: \mathcal{P}(X)\to \mathcal{P}(Y)$ between their power sets is connected if for every $S\subset X$ connected, $f(S)\subset Y$ is connected. Question: Assume…
Willie Wong
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A challenge by R. P. Feynman: give counter-intuitive theorems that can be translated into everyday language

The following is a quote from Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman. The question is: are there any interesting theorems that you think would be a good example to tell Richard Feynman, as an answer to his challenge? Theorems should be totally…
AgCl
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Nice examples of groups which are not obviously groups

I am searching for some groups, where it is not so obvious that they are groups. In the lecture's script there are only examples like $\mathbb{Z}$ under addition and other things like that. I don't think that these examples are helpful to…
Dominic Michaelis
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Can't argue with success? Looking for "bad math" that "gets away with it"

I'm looking for cases of invalid math operations producing (in spite of it all) correct results (aka "every math teacher's nightmare"). One example would be "cancelling" the 6's in $$\frac{64}{16}.$$ Another one would be something like $$\frac{9}{2}…
kjo
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How discontinuous can a derivative be?

There is a well-known result in elementary analysis due to Darboux which says if $f$ is a differentiable function then $f'$ satisfies the intermediate value property. To my knowledge, not many "highly" discontinuous Darboux functions are known--the…
Chris Janjigian
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Counterintuitive examples in probability

I want to teach a short course in probability and I am looking for some counter-intuitive examples in Probability. The results seem to be obviously false but they true or vice versa. I already found some things. For example these two…
MR_BD
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Discontinuous derivative.

Could someone give an example of a ‘very’ discontinuous derivative? I myself can only come up with examples where the derivative is discontinuous at only one point. I am assuming the function is real-valued and defined on a bounded interval.
user58273
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Example of infinite field of characteristic $p\neq 0$

Can you give me an example of infinite field of characteristic $p\neq0$? Thanks.
Aspirin
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Examples of bijective map from $\mathbb{R}^3\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$

Could any one give an example of a bijective map from $\mathbb{R}^3\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$? Thank you.
Marso
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Does $R[x] \cong S[x]$ imply $R \cong S$?

This is a very simple question but I believe it's nontrivial. I would like to know if the following is true: If $R$ and $S$ are rings and $R[x]$ and $S[x]$ are isomorphic as rings, then $R$ and $S$ are isomorphic. Thanks! If there isn't a proof…
Richard G
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Is it possible for a function to be in $L^p$ for only one $p$?

I'm wondering if it's possible for a function to be an $L^p$ space for only one value of $p \in [1,\infty)$ (on either a bounded domain or an unbounded domain). One can use interpolation to show that if a function is in two $L^p$ spaces, (e.g. $p_1$…
user1736
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Examples of problems that are easier in the infinite case than in the finite case.

I am looking for examples of problems that are easier in the infinite case than in the finite case. I really can't think of any good ones for now, but I'll be sure to add some when I do.
Asinomás
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Continuous bijection from $(0,1)$ to $[0,1]$

Does there exist a continuous bijection from $(0,1)$ to $[0,1]$? Of course the map should not be a proper map.
Alex
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Problems that become easier in a more general form

When solving a problem, we often look at some special cases first, then try to work our way up to the general case. It would be interesting to see some counterexamples to this mental process, i.e. problems that become easier when you formulate them…
MGA
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