PUTNAM TRAINING

INEQUALITIES
(Last updated: October 21, 2011)
Remark. This is a list of exercises on inequalities. Miguel A. Lerma
Exercises
1. If a, b, c > 0, prove that (a
2
b + b
2
c + c
2
a)(ab
2
+ bc
2
+ ca
2
) 9a
2
b
2
c
2
.
2. Prove that n! <
_
n + 1
2
_
n
, for n = 2, 3, 4, . . . ,
3. If 0 < p, 0 < q, and p + q < 1, prove that (px + qy)
2
px
2
+ qy
2
.
4. If a, b, c 0, prove that
_
3(a + b + c)

a +

b +

c.
5. Let x, y, z > 0 with xyz = 1. Prove that x + y + z x
2
+ y
2
+ z
2
.
6. Show that
_
a
2
1
+ b
2
1
+
_
a
2
2
+ b
2
2
+ +
_
a
2
n
+ b
2
n

_
(a
1
+ a
2
+ + a
n
)
2
+ (b
1
+ b
2
+ + b
n
)
2
7. Find the minimum value of the function f(x
1
, x
2
, . . . , x
n
) = x
1
+x
2
+ +x
n
, where
x
1
, x
2
, . . . , x
n
are positive real numbers such that x
1
x
2
x
n
= 1.
8. Let x, y, z 0 with xyz = 1. Find the minimum of
S =
x
2
y + z
+
y
2
z + x
+
z
2
x + y
.
9. If x, y, z > 0, and x + y + z = 1, nd the minimum value of
1
x
+
1
y
+
1
z
.
10. Prove that in a triangle with sides a, b, c and opposite angles A, B, C (in radians)
the following relation holds:
a A + b B + c C
a + b + c


3
.
1
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 2
11. (Putnam, 2003) Let a
1
, a
2
, . . . , a
n
and b
1
, b
2
, . . . , b
n
nonnegative real numbers. Show
that
(a
1
a
2
a
n
)
1/n
+ (b
1
b
2
b
n
)
1/n
((a
1
+ b
1
)(a
2
+ b
2
) (a
n
+ b
n
))
1/n
12. The notation n!
(k)
means take factorial of n k times. For example, n!
(3)
means ((n!)!)!
What is bigger, 1999!
(2000)
or 2000!
(1999)
?
13. Which is larger, 1999
1999
or 2000
1998
?
14. Prove that there are no positive integers a, b such that b
2
+ b + 1 = a
2
.
15. (Inspired in Putnam 1968, B6) Prove that a polynomial with only real roots and all
coecients equal to 1 has degree at most 3.
16. (Putnam 1984) Find the minimum value of
(u v)
2
+
_

2 u
2

9
v
_
2
for 0 < u <

2 and v > 0.
17. Show that
1

4n

_
1
2
__
3
4
_

_
2n 1
2n
_
<
1

2n
.
18. (Putnam, 2004) Let m and n be positive integers. Show that
(m + n)!
(m + n)
m+n
<
m!
m
m
n!
n
n
.
19. Let a
1
, a
2
, . . . , a
n
be a sequence of positive numbers, and let b
1
, b
2
, . . . , b
n
be any
permutation of the rst sequence. Show that
a
1
b
1
+
a
2
b
2
+ +
a
n
b
n
n.
20. Let a
1
, a
2
, . . . , a
n
and b
1
, b
2
, . . . , b
n
increasing sequences of real numbers, and let x
1
, x
2
, . . . , x
n
be any permutation of b
1
, b
2
, . . . , b
n
. Show that
n

i=1
a
i
b
i

n

i=1
a
i
x
i
.
21. Prove that the p-mean tends to the geometric mean as p approaches zero. In other
other words, if a
1
, . . . , a
n
are positive real numbers, then
lim
p0
_
1
n
n

k=1
a
p
k
_
1/p
=
_
n

k=1
a
k
_
1/n
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 3
22. If a, b, and c are the sides of a triangle, prove that
a
b + c a
+
b
c + a b
+
c
a + b c
3 .
23. Here we use Knuths up-arrow notation: a b = a
b
, a b = a (a (. . . a))
. .
b copies of a
, so
e.g. 2 3 = 2 (2 2)) = 2
2
2
. What is larger, 2 2011 or 3 2010?
24. Prove that e
1/e
+ e
1/
2e
1/3
.
25. Prove that the function f(x) =
n

i=1
(x a
i
)
2
attains its minimum value at x = a =
a
1
+ + a
n
n
.
26. Find the positive solutions of the system of equations
x
1
+
1
x
2
= 4 , x
2
+
1
x
3
= 1 , . . . , x
99
+
1
x
100
= 4 , x
100
+
1
x
1
= 1 .
27. Prove that if the numbers a, b, and c satisfy the inequalities |ab| |c|, |b c| |a|,
|c a| |b|, then one of those numbers is the sum of the other two.
28. Find the minimum of sin
3
x/ cos x + cos
3
x/ sin x, 0 < x < /2.
29. Let a
i
> 0, i = 1, . . . , n, and s = a
1
+ + a
n
. Prove
a
1
s a
1
+
a
2
s a
2
+ +
a
n
s a
n

n
n 1
.
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 4
Hints
1. One way to solve this problem is by using the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean
inequality on each factor of the left hand side.
2. Apply the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean inequality to the set of numbers 1, 2, . . . , n.
3. Power means inequality with weights
p
p+q
and
q
p+q
.
4. Power means inequality.
5.
6. This problem can be solved by using Minkowskis inequality, but another way to look
at it is by an appropriate geometrical interpretation of the terms (as distances between
points of the plane.)
7. Many minimization or maximization problems are inequalities in disguise. The so-
lution usually consists of guessing the maximum or minimum value of the func-
tion, and then proving that it is in fact maximum or minimum. In this case, given
the symmetry of the function a good guess is f(1, 1, . . . , 1) = n, so try to prove
f(x
1
, x
2
, . . . , x
n
) n. Use the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean inequality on
x
1
, . . . , x
n
.
8. Apply the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality to the vectors (
x

y+z
,
y

z+x
,
z

x+y
) and (u, v, w),
and choose appropriate values for u, v, w.
9. Arithmetic-Harmonic Mean inequality.
10. Assume a b c, A B C, and use Chebyshevs Inequality.
11. Divide by the right hand side and use the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean inequality
on both terms of the left.
12. Note that n! is increasing (n < m = n! < m!)
13. Look at the function f(x) = (1999 x) ln (1999 + x).
14. The numbers b
2
and (b + 1)
2
are consecutive squares.
15. Use the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean inequality on the squares of the roots of
the polynomial.
16. Think geometrically. Interpret the given expression as the square of the distance
between two points in the plane. The problem becomes that of nding the minimum
distance between two curves.
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 5
17. Consider the expressions P =
_
1
2
_ _
3
4
_

_
2n1
2n
_
and Q =
_
2
3
_ _
4
5
_

_
2n2
2n1
_
. Note
that
k1
k
<
k
k+1
, for k = 1, 2, . . . .
18. Look at the binomial expansion of (m + n)
m+n
.
19. Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean inequality.
20. Try rst the cases n = 1 and n = 2. Then use induction.
21. Take logarithms and use LHopital.
22. Set x = b + c a, y = c + a b, z = a + b c.
23. We have 2
2
2
= 16 < 27 = 3
3
.
24. Show that f(x) = e
1/x
for x > 0 is decreasing and convex.
25. Prove that f(x) f(a) 0.
26. By the AM-GM inequality we have x
1
+
1
x
2
2
_
x
1
x
2
, . . . Try to prove that those
inequalities is actually equalities.
27. Square both sides of those inequalities.
28. Rearrangement inequality.
29. Rearrangement inequality.
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 6
Solutions
1. Using the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean Inequality on each factor of the LHS we
get
_
a
2
b + b
2
c + c
2
a
3
__
ab
2
+ bc
2
+ ca
2
3
_

_
3

a
3
b
3
c
3
__
3

a
3
b
3
c
3
_
= a
2
b
2
c
2
.
Multiplying by 9 we get the desired inequality.
Another solution consists of using the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality:
(a
2
b + b
2
c + c
2
a)(ab
2
+ bc
2
+ ca
2
) =
_
(a

b)
2
+ (b

c)
2
+ (c

a)
2
__
(

b c)
2
+ (

c a)
2
+ (

a b)
2
_
(abc + abc + abc)
2
= 9a
2
b
2
c
2
.
2. This result is the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean applied to the set of numbers
1, 2, . . . , n:
n

1 2 n <
1 + 2 + + n
n
=
n(n+1)
2
n
=
n + 1
2
.
Raising both sides to the nth power we get the desired result.
3. The simplest solution consists of using the weighted power means inequality to the
(weighted) arithmetic and quadratic means of x and y with weights
p
p+q
and
q
p+q
:
p
p + q
x +
q
p + q
y
_
p
p + q
x
2
+
q
p + q
y
2
,
hence
(px + qy)
2
(p + q)(px
2
+ qy
2
) .
Or we can use the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality as follows:
(px + qy)
2
= (

p x +

q y)
2

_
{

p}
2
+{

q}
2
_ _
{

p x}
2
+{

q y}
2
_
(Cauchy-Schwarz)
= (p + q)(px
2
+ qy
2
) .
Finally we use p + q 1 to obtain the desired result.
4. By the power means inequality:
a + b + c
3

_

a +

b +

c
3
_
2
. .
M
1
(a,b,c)
. .
M
1/2
(a,b,c)
From here the desired result follows.
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 7
5. We have:
x + y + z = (x + y + z)
3

xyz (xyz = 1)

(x + y + z)
2
3
(AM-GM inequality)
x
2
+ y
2
+ z
2
. (power means inequality)
6. The result can be obtained by using Minkowskis inequality repeatedly:
_
a
2
1
+ b
2
1
+
_
a
2
2
+ b
2
2
+ +
_
a
2
n
+ b
2
n

_
(a
1
+ a
2
)
2
+ (b
1
+ b
2
)
2
+ +
_
a
2
n
+ b
2
n

_
(a
1
+ a
2
+ a
3
)
2
+ (b
1
+ b
2
+ b
3
)
2
+
+
_
a
2
n
+ b
2
n
. . .

_
(a
1
+ a
2
+ + a
n
)
2
+ (b
1
+ b
2
+ + b
n
)
2
Another way to think about it is geometrically. Consider a sequence of points in the
plane P
k
= (x
k
, y
k
), k = 0, . . . , n, such that
(x
k
, y
k
) = (x
k1
+ a
k
, y
k1
+ b
k
) for k = 1, . . . , n.
Then the left hand side of the inequality is the sum of the distances between two
consecutive points, while the right hand side is the distance between the rst one and
the last one:
d(P
0
, P
1
) + d(P
1
, P
2
) + + d(P
n1
, P
n
) d(P
0
, P
n
) .
7. By the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean Inequality
1 =
n

x
1
x
2
. . . x
n

x
1
+ x
2
+ + x
n
n
,
Hence f(x
1
, x
2
, . . . , x
n
) n. On the other hand f(1, 1, . . . , 1) = n, so the minimum
value is n.
8. For x = y = z = 1 we see that S = 3/2. We will prove that in fact 3/2 is the minimum
value of S by showing that S 3/2.
Note that
S =
_
x

y + z
_
2
+
_
y

z + x
_
2
+
_
z

x + y
_
2
.
Hence by the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality:
S (u
2
+ v
2
+ w
2
)
_
xu

y + z
+
yv

z + x
+
zw

x + y
_
2
.
Writing u =

y + z, v =

z + x, w =

x + y we get
S 2(x + y + z) (x + y + z)
2
,
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 8
hence, dividing by 2(x + y + z) and using the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean
inequality:
S
1
2
(x + y + z)
1
2
3
3

xyz =
3
2
.
9. By the Arithmetic Mean-Harmonic Mean inequality:
3
1
x
+
1
y
+
1
z

x + y + z
3
=
1
3
,
hence
9
1
x
+
1
y
+
1
z
.
On the other hand for x = y = z = 1/3 the sum is 9, so the minimum value is 9.
10. Assume a b c, A B C. Then
0 (a b)(A B) + (a c)(A C) + (b c)(B C)
= 3(aA + bB + cC) (a + b + c)(A + B + C) .
Using A + B + C = and dividing by 3(a + b + c) we get the desired result.
- Remark: We could have used also Chebyshevs Inequality:
a A + b B + c C
3

_
a + b + c
3
__
A + B + C
3
_
.
11. Assume a
i
+b
i
> 0 for each i (otherwise both sides are zero). Then by the Arithmetic
Mean-Geometric Mean inequality
_
a
1
a
n
(a
1
+ b
1
) (a
n
+ b
n
)
_
1/n

1
n
_
a
1
a
1
+ b
1
+ +
a
n
a
n
+ b
n
,
_
and similarly with the roles of a and b reversed. Adding both inequalities and clearing
denominators we get the desired result.
(Remark: The result is known as superadditivity of the geometric mean.)
12. We have that n! is increasing for n 1, i.e., 1 n < m = n! < m! So 1999! > 2000
= (1999!)! > 2000! = ((1999!)!)! > (2000!)! = . . . = 1999!
(2000)
>
2000!
(1999)
.
13. Consider the function f(x) = (1999 x) ln (1999 + x). Its derivative is f

(x) =
ln (1999 + x) +
1999 x
1999 + x
, which is negative for 0 x 1, because in that interval
1999 x
1999 + x
1 = ln e < ln (1999 + x) .
Hence f is decreasing in [0, 1] and f(0) > f(1), i.e., 1999 ln 1999 > 1998 ln 2000.
Consequently 1999
1999
> 2000
1998
.
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 9
14. We have b
2
< b
2
+ b + 1
. .
a
2
< b
2
+2b +1 = (b +1)
2
. But b
2
and (b +1)
2
are consecutive
squares, so there cannot be a square strictly between them.
15. We may assume that the leading coecient is +1. The sum of the squares of the roots
of x
n
+ a
1
x
n1
+ + a
n
is a
2
1
2a
2
. The product of the squares of the roots is a
2
n
.
Using the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean inequality we have
a
2
1
2a
2
n

n
_
a
2
n
.
Since the coecients are 1 that inequality is (1 2)/n 1, hence n 3.
Remark: x
3
x
2
x + 1 = (x + 1)(x 1)
2
is an example of 3th degree polynomial
with all coecients equal to 1 and only real roots.
16. The given function is the square of the distance between a point of the quarter of
circle x
2
+y
2
= 2 in the open rst quadrant and a point of the half hyperbola xy = 9
in that quadrant. The tangents to the curves at (1, 1) and (3, 3) separate the curves,
and both are perpendicular to x = y, so those points are at the minimum distance,
and the answer is (3 1)
2
+ (3 1)
2
= 8.
17. Let
P =
_
1
2
__
3
4
_

_
2n 1
2n
_
, Q =
_
2
3
__
4
5
_

_
2n 2
2n 1
_
.
We have PQ =
1
2n
. Also
1
2
<
2
3
<
3
4
<
4
5
< <
2n1
2n
, hence 2P Q, so
2P
2
PQ =
1
2n
, and from here we get P
1

4n
.
On the other hand we have P < Q
2n
2n + 1
< Q, hence P
2
< PQ =
1
2n
, and from here
P <
1

2n
.
18. The given inequality is equivalent to
(m + n)!
m! n!
m
m
n
n
=
_
m + n
n
_
m
m
n
n
< (m + n)
m+n
,
which is obviously true because the binomial expansion of (m + n)
m+n
includes the
term on the left plus other terms.
19. Using the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean inequality we get:
1
n
_
a
1
b
1
+
a
2
b
2
+ +
a
n
b
n
_

n
_
a
1
b
1

a
2
b
2

a
n
b
n
= 1 .
From here the desired result follows.
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 10
20. We prove it by induction. For n = 1 the result is trivial, and for n = 2 it is a simple
consequence of the following:
0 (a
2
a
1
)(b
2
b
1
) = (a
1
b
1
+ a
2
b
2
) (a
1
b
2
+ a
2
b
1
) .
Next assume that the result is true for some n 2. We will prove that is is true for
n + 1. There are two possibilities:
1. If x
n+1
= b
n+1
, then we can apply the induction hypothesis to the n rst terms
of the sum and we are done.
2. If x
n+1
= b
n+1
, then x
j
= b
n+1
for some j = n + 1, and x
n+1
= b
k
for some
k = n + 1. Hence:
n+1

i=1
a
i
x
i
=
n

i=1
i=j
a
i
x
i
+ a
j
x
j
+ a
n+1
x
n+1
=
n

i=1
i=j
a
i
x
i
+ a
j
b
n+1
+ a
n+1
b
k
(using the inequality for the two-term increasing sequences a
j
, a
n+1
and b
k
, b
n+1
)

i=1
i=j
a
i
x
i
+ a
j
b
k
+ a
n+1
b
n+1
.
This reduces the problem to case 1.
21. We have
ln
_
1
n
n

k=1
a
p
k
_
1/p
=
ln
_
1
n

n
k=1
a
p
k
_
p
.
Also, a
k
1 as p 0, hence numerator and denominator tend to zero as p approaches
zero. Using LHopital we get
lim
p0
ln
_
1
n

n
k=1
a
p
k
_
p
= lim
p0

n
k=1
a
p
k
ln a
k

n
k=1
a
p
k
=

n
k=1
ln a
k
n
= ln
_
n

k=1
a
k
_
1/n
.
From here the desired result follows.
22. Set x = b +c a, y = c +a b, z = a +b c. The triangle inequality implies that x,
y, and z are positive. Furthermore, a = (y + z)/2, b = (z + x)/2, and c = (x + y)/2.
The LHS of the inequality becomes:
y + z
2x
+
z + x
2y
+
x + y
2z
=
1
2
_
x
y
+
y
x
+
y
z
+
z
y
+
x
z
+
z
x
_
3 .
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 11
23. We have that 2 3 = 2
2
2
= 16 < 27 = 3
3
= 3 2. Then using a (n + 1) = a
an
we get 2 (n+1) < 3 n for n 2, and from here it follows that 2 2011 < 3
2010.
24. Consider the function f(x) = e
1/x
for x > 0. We have f

(x) =
1/x
e
1/x
< 0, f

(x) =
e
1/x
(
2
x
3
+
1
x
4
) > 0, hence f is decreasing and convex.
By convexity, we have
1
2
(f(e) + f()) f
_
e+
2
_
.
On the other hand we have (e + )/2 < 3, and since f is decreasing, f(
e+
2
) > f(3),
and from here the result follows.
25. We have:
f(x) f(a) =
n

i=1
(x a
i
)
2

i=1
(a a
i
)
2
=
n

i=1
_
(x a
i
)
2
(a a
i
)
2
_
=
n

i=1
(x
2
2a
i
x a
2
+ 2a
i
a)
= nx
2
2nax + na
2
= n(x a)
2
0 ,
hence f(x) f(a) for every x.
26. By the Geometric Mean-Arithmetic Mean inequality
x
1
+
1
x
2
2
_
x
1
x
2
, . . . , x
100
+
1
x
1
2
_
x
100
x
1
.
Multiplying we get
_
x
1
+
1
x
2
__
x
2
+
1
x
3
_

_
x
100
+
1
x
1
_
2
100
.
From the system of equations we get
_
x
1
+
1
x
2
__
x
2
+
1
x
3
_

_
x
100
+
1
x
1
_
= 2
100
,
so all those inequalities are equalities, i.e.,
x
1
+
1
x
2
= 2
_
x
1
x
2
=
_

x
1

x
2
_
2
= 0 = x
1
=
1
x
2
,
and analogously: x
2
= 1/x
3
, . . . , x
100
= 1/x
1
. Hence x
1
= 1/x
2
, x
2
= 1/x
3
, . . . ,
x
100
= 1/x
1
, and from here we get x
1
= 2, x
2
= 1/2,. . . , x
99
= 2, x
100
= 1/2.
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 12
27. Squaring the inequalities and moving their left hand sides to the right we get
0 c
2
(a b)
2
= (c + a b)(c a + b)
0 a
2
(b c)
2
= (a + b c)(a b + c)
0 b
2
(c a)
2
= (b + c a)(b c + a) .
Multiplying them together we get:
0 (a + b c)
2
(a b + c)
2
(a + b + c)
2
,
hence, one of the factors must be zero.
28. The answer is 1. In fact, the sequences (sin
3
x, cos
3
x) and (1/ sin x, 1/ cos x) are
oppositely sorted, hence by the rearrangement inequality:
sin
3
x/ cos x + cos
3
x/ sin x sin
3
x/ sin x + cos
3
x/ cos x
= sin
2
x + cos
2
x = 1 .
Equality is attained at x = /4.
29. By the rearrangement inequality we have for k = 2, 3, , n:
a
1
s a
1
+
a
2
s a
2
+ +
a
n
s a
n

a
1
s a
k
+
a
2
s a
k+1
+ +
a
n
s a
k1
,
were the denominators on the right hand side are a cyclic permutation of sa
1
, , s
a
n
. Adding those n 1 inequalities we get the desired result.
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 13
Main Inequalities
1. Arithmetic Mean, Geometric Mean, Harmonic Mean Inequalities. Let a
1
, . . . , a
n
be positive numbers. Then the following inequalities hold:
n
1
a
1
+ +
1
a
n

a
1
a
2
a
n

a
1
+ + a
n
n
. .
Harmonic Mean
. .
Geometric Mean
. .
Arithmetic Mean
In all cases equality holds if and only if a
1
= = a
n
.
2. Power Means Inequality. The AM-GM, GM-HM and AM-HM inequalities are partic-
ular cases of a more general kind of inequality called Power Means Inequality.
Let r be a non-zero real number. We dene the r-mean or rth power mean of positive
numbers a
1
, . . . , a
n
as follows:
M
r
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) =
_
1
n
n

i=1
a
r
i
_
1/r
.
The ordinary arithmetic mean is M
1
, M
2
is the quadratic mean, M
1
is the harmonic mean.
Furthermore we dene the 0-mean to be equal to the geometric mean:
M
0
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) =
_
n

i=1
a
i
_
1/n
.
Then, for any real numbers r, s such that r < s, the following inequality holds:
M
r
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) M
s
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) .
Equality holds if and only if a
1
= = a
n
.
2.1. Power Means Sub/Superadditivity. Let a
1
, . . . , a
n
, b
1
, . . . , b
n
be positive real numbers.
(a) If r > 1, then the r-mean is subadditive, i.e.:
M
r
(a
1
+ b
1
, . . . , a
n
+ b
n
) M
r
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) + M
r
(b
1
, . . . , b
n
) .
(b) If r < 1, then the r-mean is superadditive, i.e.:
M
r
(a
1
+ b
1
, . . . , a
n
+ b
n
) M
r
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) + M
r
(b
1
, . . . , b
n
) .
Equality holds if and only if (a
1
, . . . , a
n
) and (b
1
, . . . , b
n
) are proportional.
3. Cauchy-Schwarz.
_
n

i=1
a
i
b
i
_
2

_
n

i=1
a
2
i
__
n

i=1
b
2
i
_
.
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 14
4. Holder. If p > 1 and 1/p + 1/q = 1 then

i=1
a
i
b
i

_
n

i=1
|a
i
|
p
_
1/p
_
n

i=1
|b
i
|
p
_
1/q
.
(For p = q = 2 we get Cauchy-Schwarz.)
5. Minkowski. If p > 1 then
_
n

i=1
|a
i
+ b
i
|
p
_
1/p

_
n

i=1
|a
i
|
p
_
1/p
+
_
n

i=1
|b
i
|
p
_
1/p
.
Equality holds i (a
1
, . . . , a
n
) and (b
1
, . . . , b
n
) are proportional.
6. Norm Monotonicity. If a
i
> 0 (i = 1, . . . , n), s > t > 0, then
_
n

i=1
a
s
i
_
1/s

_
n

i=1
a
t
i
_
1/t
.
7. Chebyshev. Let a
1
, a
2
, . . . , a
n
and b
1
, b
2
, . . . , b
n
be sequences of real numbers which are
monotonic in the same direction (we have a
1
a
2
a
n
and b
1
b
2
b
n
, or we
could reverse all inequalities.) Then
1
n
n

i=1
a
i
b
i

_
1
n
n

i=1
a
i
__
1
n
n

i=1
b
i
_
.
8. Schur. If x, y, x are positive real numbers and k is a real number such that k 1, then
x
k
(x y)(x z) + y
k
(y x)(y z) + z
k
(z x)(z y) 0 .
For k = 1 the inequality becomes
x
3
+ y
3
+ z
3
+ 3xyz xy(x + y) + yz(y + z) + zx(z + x) .
9. Weighted Power Means Inequality. Let w
1
, . . . , w
n
be positive real numbers such
that w
1
+ +w
n
= 1. Let r be a non-zero real number. We dene the rth weighted power
mean of non-negative numbers a
1
, . . . , a
n
as follows:
M
r
w
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) =
_
n

i=1
w
i
a
r
i
_
1/r
.
As r 0 the rth weighted power mean tends to:
M
0
w
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) =
_
n

i=1
a
w
i
i
_
.
which we call 0th weighted power mean. If w
i
= 1/n we get the ordinary rth power means.
Then for any real numbers r, s such that r < s, the following inequality holds:
M
r
w
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) M
s
w
(a
1
, . . . , a
n
) .
PUTNAM TRAINING INEQUALITIES 15
10. Convexity. A function f : (a, b) R is said to be convex if
f(x + (1 )y) f(x) + (1 )f(y)
for every x, y (a, b), 0 1. Graphically, the condition is that for x < t < y the point
(t, f(t)) should lie below or on the line connecting the points (x, f(x)) and (y, f(y)).
x y t
f(y)
f(t)
f(x)
Figure 1. Convex function.