Prove / Show That

Afrikaans: Bewys / Toon dat

Demonstrate, using logical algebraic or geometric steps, that a given statement is true. You may not assume the result and work backward from it — you must start from what is given and arrive at the result.

Common mistake

Writing LHS = RHS and manipulating both sides at once, effectively assuming the answer before proving it.

Signal phrases

Prove that...
Show that the value of... equals...

Past paper examples

Prove that AB is a tangent to the circle at point B.

Source: DBE Mathematics Paper 2, November 2023, Question 8.3

Show that the roots of the equation are real for all values of k.

Source: DBE Mathematics Paper 1, November 2022, Question 3.4

Where this comes up