A counterexample is one instance satisfying a claim’s hypotheses but not its conclusion, and therefore disproves the universal claim.

Ancestors (5)

  1. Mathematical proof
  2. Foundations of mathematics
  3. Area of mathematics
  4. Mathematics
  5. Home

Discussion (0) New discussion

There are no discussions about this article yet.

Articles by others on the same topic (1)

A counterexample is a specific case or example that disproves a statement or hypothesis. In logic and mathematics, if a general claim or assertion is made, a counterexample serves to show that the claim is not universally true by providing just one instance where it fails. For example, consider the statement: "All birds can fly." A counterexample to this statement would be a flightless bird, such as an ostrich or a penguin.