Proof Without Words

A proof without words, or visual proof, is an illustration of a mathematical identity or statement that is meant to be self-evident from a diagram alone, without any accompanying explanatory text. Because such a proof shows its point directly through a picture, it is often considered more elegant than a fully written formal proof, though when the diagram illustrates only one particular case of a general statement it must also be clear how the same picture generalizes for it to count as a genuine proof. A proof without words is not identical to a full mathematical proof, since it leaves out the details of the logical argument it depicts, but it can give a viewer real intuition that helps them construct, or better understand, a complete proof. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/