Pure Mathematics – Inequalities 2 p.

Inequalities
Assignment 2
1. Let a, b and c be positive real numbers such that a2 + b2 + c2 = 3.
(a) Using Cauchy-Schwarz’s Inequality, prove that
(i) a + b + c ≤ 3 .
(ii) a 3 + b 3 + c 3 ≥ 3 .
(b) For every n = 2, 3, 4, …, let P(n) be the statement that a n + b n + c n ≥ 3 .
Prove that for any integer k ≥ 2 ,
(i) If P(k) is true, then P(2k) is true;
(ii) If P(k) is true, then P(2k – 1) is true.

2. (a) Let m and k be positive integers and k ≤ m .

m(m − 1)L (m − k + 1) (m + 1)m L (m − k + 2)
Prove that < for k > 1.
mk (m + 1)k
Prove that the above inequality does not hold when k = 1.
(a) Let m be a positive integer. Using (a) or otherwise, prove that
m m +1
⎛ 1⎞ ⎛ 1 ⎞
⎜1 + ⎟ < ⎜1 + ⎟ .
⎝ m⎠ ⎝ m + 1⎠

3. Let n be a positive integer.

(a) Suppose 0 < p < 1.
(i) By considering the function f(x) = xp – px on (0, ∞), or otherwise,
prove that x p ≤ px + 1 − p for all x > 0.
(ii) Using (a)(i), or otherwise, prove that a p b1− p ≤ pa + (1 − p )b for
all a, b > 0.
(iii) Let a1, a2, a3, …, an and b1, b2, b3, …, bn be positive real numbers.
Using (a)(ii), or otherwise, prove that
p 1− p
n
⎛ n ⎞ ⎛ n ⎞
∑a ≤ ⎜ ∑ ai ⎟ ⎜ ∑ bi ⎟
p 1− p
i bi .
i =1 ⎝ i =1 ⎠ ⎝ i =1 ⎠

(b) Suppose 0 < s < 2. Let x1, x2, x3, …, xn and y1, y2, y3, …, yn be positive real
numbers. Prove that
1 1
n
⎛ n
2− s ⎞ ⎛ s ⎞
2 n 2
(i) ∑x y
i =1
i i ≤ ⎜ ∑ xi y i ⎟ ⎜ ∑ x i y i ⎟ ,
⎝ i =1
s

⎠ ⎝ i =1
2− s

⎠
⎛ n s 2− s ⎞⎛ n 2− s s ⎞ ⎛ n 2 ⎞⎛ n 2 ⎞
(ii) ⎜ ∑ xi y i ⎟⎜ ∑ xi y i ⎟ ≤ ⎜ ∑ xi ⎟⎜ ∑ y i ⎟
⎝ i =1 ⎠⎝ i =1 ⎠ ⎝ i =1 ⎠⎝ i =1 ⎠
Pure Mathematics – Inequalities 2 p.2

4. (a) Let a1, a2, …, an be real numbers and b1, b2, …, bn be non-zero real numbers.
n

∑ (a x + b )
2
By considering i i , or otherwise, prove Schwarz’s inequality
i =1

2
⎛ n ⎞ ⎛ n 2 ⎞⎛ n 2 ⎞
⎜ ∑ aibi ⎟ ≤ ⎜ ∑ ai ⎟⎜ ∑ bi ⎟ , and that the equality holds if and only if
⎝ i =1 ⎠ ⎝ i =1 ⎠⎝ i =1 ⎠
a1 a2 a
= =L n
b1 b2 bn
2
⎛ n ⎞ n
⎜ ∑ xi ⎟ ∑x
2
i
(b) (i) Prove that ⎜ i =1 ⎟ ≤ i =1
, where x1, x2, …, xn are real numbers.
⎜ n ⎟ n
⎜ ⎟
⎝ ⎠

2
⎛ n ⎞ ⎛ n ⎞⎛ n 2⎞
(ii) Prove that ⎜ ∑ λi xi ⎟ ≤ ⎜ ∑ λi ⎟⎜ ∑ λi xi ⎟ , where x1, x2, …, xn are real
⎝ i =1 ⎠ ⎝ i =1 ⎠⎝ i =1 ⎠

numbers and λ1, λ2, …, λn are positive numbers.

Find a necessary and sufficient condition for the equality to hold.
(iii) Using (b)(ii) or otherwise, prove that
2 2 2 2
⎛ y1 y 2 y ⎞ y y y
⎜ + 2 + L + nn ⎟ < 1 + 22 + L + nn , where y1, y2, …, yn are
⎝ t t t ⎠ t t t

real numbers, not all zero, and t ≥ 2 .