Provide two distinct fallacy methods thereby "proving" the undernoted false equality:

               2 + 2 = 5

Assume that we have two variables a and b, and that: a = b
Multiply both sides by a to get: a2 = ab
Subtract b2 from both sides: a2 - b2 = ab - b2
Then: (a + b)(a - b) = ab - b2
So that:  (a + b)(a - b) = b (a - b)
Factor out (a - b) from each side: a + b = b
Substitute b in for a to get: b + b = b
Add  3 b to each side: 5 b = 4 b 
Thus: 5 b = 2b + 2b
Divide by b: 5 = 2 + 2
 QED

Edited on November 29, 2022, 8:37 pm

Posted by Steven Lord on 2022-11-29 20:34:53