Question 186546: How to know where's the start point of a proof?
I mean- how to know from where to begin?
Answer by vleith(2983)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Usually, you are given a problem in the form "show that if blah blah blah, then la di da"
So you are given the original startingpoint and the desired end point. You are then expected to go from start to end, step by step, using principles, axioms etc.
What I prefer is to take a clean sheet of paper, leave little room at the top and draw vertical line down the middle of it. I use the left side to show my mathematial steps. I use the right side to state which principle, axiom, etc allows me to move from that step to the next one.
At the top of the page restate the problem. Do this 'above the vertical line'.
The first step is the 'given' part of the problem (the blah blah blah above). Put that on the left side and write 'given' on the right.
Then proceed step by step toward 'what is to be shown (the la di da above)'. Each step must have a valid principle, axiom, etc to support taking that step.
When you get to 'la di da', write QED in the right side. (What was to be shown)
Hope that helps
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