Property of valuation in $\Bbb{Z}_p$

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Let $v$ denote the $p$-adic valuation in $\Bbb{Z}_p$. Let $a_1,a_2,a_3$ be three elements of $\Bbb{Z}_p$. Then I want to show that

$$\min \{ v(a_1), v(a_2), v(a_1+a_2+a_3)\}=\min \{v(a_1),v(a_2),v(a_3)\}$$

I proved this when we have two elements but I cannot prove this with three elements. Does it hold if we take $n$ number of elements? Thank you in advance

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Suggestion: Use your $2$-element version to show:

$$\min\{v(a),v(b),v(c)\}=\min(v(a),v(b),v(a+c)\}$$

Then apply this result twice.

You will be using $\min(x,y,z)=\min(\min(x,z),y)$.

At heart, note that the "min" binary operator is associative and commutative, and $\min(x_1,x_2,\dots,x_n)$ is just the application of this binary operator $n-1$ times, in any order on this list of elements.

And yes, it will generalize to $n$ elements.


Verbose argument:

If $x\star y = \min(x,y)$, then you already have:

$$v(a)\star v(b)=v(a)\star v(a+b)\tag{1}$$

Now:

$$\begin{align} v(a)\star v(b)\star v(c) &= v(a)\star\left(v(b)\star v(b+c)\right)\\ &=\left(v(a)\star v(b+c)\right)\star v(b)\\ &=(v(a)\star v(a+b+c))\star v(b)\\ &=v(a)\star v(b)\star v(a+b+c) \end{align} $$

Essentially, associativity and commutativity of $\star$ lets are re-arrange, apply $(1)$ rearrange again, apply (1) again, and re-arrange a last time.