A Class of Inequalities

Marius Stanean

Abstract
The purpose of this article is to present a general method for solving a
class of inequalities using mathematical analysis. At the end, some special
cases will be presented.

Let f : (0, ∞) → R be a differentiable function such that its derivative is monotonic

and let xi , ai , i ∈ {1, 2, . . . , n} be positive real numbers satisfying the conditions:
(i) xi ≤ ai ≤ an for all i ∈ {1, 2, . . . , n − 1},
(ii) x1 + x2 + . . . + xn = a1 + a2 + . . . + an .
n
f (xi ) where f 0
P
Determine the minimum, respectively the maximum, of expression
i=1
is increasing, respectively decreasing.

Solution. We consider the case when f 0 is increasing. The other case is proved similarly.
We show that

f (x1 ) + f (x2 ) + . . . + f (xn ) ≥ f (a1 ) + f (a2 ) + . . . + f (an ), (1)

with equality if and only if xi = ai for all i ∈ {1, 2, . . . n}.

Without loss of generality, we can assume that a1 ≤ a2 ≤ . . . ≤ an−1 . From (i),
a1 ≤ a2 ≤ . . . ≤ an−1 ≤ an .
We make the substitutions: y1 = a1 − x1 , y2 = a2 − x2 , . . . , yn−1 = an−1 − xn−1 . From
(i), y1 , y2 , . . . , yn−1 are positive real numbers and from (ii), xn = an + y1 + y2 + . . . + yn−1 .
First we prove the following:
Lemma. Let f : (0, ∞) → R be a differentiable function such that its derivative is
increasing. If 0 < b ≤ a, then for all y ∈ [0, b] we have f (a) − f (a + y) ≤ f (b − y) − f (b).

Proof. Applying Lagrange’s theorem, there are u ∈ (a, a + y) and v ∈ (b − y, b) such that

f (a) − f (a + y) = (a − a − y)f 0 (u) = −yf 0 (u)

f (b − y) − f (b) = (b − y − b)f 0 (v) = −yf 0 (v).

Because v < b ≤ a < u and from the fact that f 0 is increasing, we deduce that
f 0 (v) ≤ f 0 (u). But y ≥ 0, so −yf 0 (u) ≤ −yf 0 (v), hence the conclusion.

1
 Using the lemma, we have

f (an ) − f (an + y1 ) ≤ f (a1 − y1 ) − f (a1 )

f (an ) − f (an + y2 ) ≤ f (a2 − y2 ) − f (a2 )
..
. (2)
f (an ) − f (an + yn−1 ) ≤ f (an−1 − yn−1 ) − f (an−1 ).

Next, we prove that

f (an ) − f (an + y1 + . . . + yn−1 ) ≤

(f (an ) − f (an + y1 )) + . . . + (f (an ) − f (an + yn−1 )). (3)

Proof. Let {i1 , i2 , . . . , in−1 } be a permutation of the set {1, 2, . . . , n − 1} such that yi1 ≤
yi2 ≤ . . . ≤ yin−1 . Applying the lemma repeatedly, we get

f (an + yi2 + . . . + yin−1 ) − f (an + y1 + . . . + yn−1 ) ≤ f (an ) − f (an + yi1 )

f (an + yi3 + . . . + yin−1 ) − f (an + yi2 + . . . + yin−1 ) ≤ f (an ) − f (an + yi2 )
..
.
f (an + yin−1 ) − f (an + yin−2 + yin−1 ) ≤ f (an ) − f (an + yin−2 )
f (an ) − f (an + yin−1 ) ≤ f (an ) − f (an + yin−1 ).

By adding up these n − 1 inequalities, we obtain inequality (3).

Now, adding up the inequalities (2) and (3) yields

f (an ) − f (an + y1 + . . . + yn−1 ) ≤

f (a1 − y1 ) − f (a1 ) + f (a2 − y2 ) − f (a2 ) + . . . + f (an−1 − yn−1 ) − f (an−1 ),

inequality which is equivalent to (1).

Equality holds if and only if y1 = y2 = . . . = yn−1 = 0, which means x1 = a1 , x2 = a2 ,
. . . , xn = an .

In the case where f 0 is a decreasing function,

f (x1 ) + f (x2 ) + . . . + f (xn ) ≤ f (a1 ) + f (a2 ) + . . . + f (an ) (4)

with equality, as above, if and only if x1 = a1 , x2 = a2 , . . . , xn = an .

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 Below are some special cases:

1. Let x, y, z be real numbers such that x ∈ [1, 12], y ∈ [2, 6], z ∈ [3, 4] and x+y+z = 17.
Prove that
47 1 1 1 11
≤ + + ≤ .
84 x y z 12
Problem C2997, Gazeta Matematica no 3/2006

2. Positive real numbers x, y, z satisfy simultaneously the conditions x ≤ 2, y ≤ 3, and

x + y + z = 11. Prove that
√
xyz ≤ 6.

Problem A5, JBMO Short list 2010

3. Let x, y, z be positive real numbers such that x ≤ 1, y ≤ 2 and x + y + z = 6. Prove

that
(x + 1)(y + 1)(z + 1) ≥ 4xyz.

Problem J258, Mathematical Reflections 1/2013

4. Let x, y, z be positive real numbers such that x ≤ 4, y ≤ 9 and x + y + z = 49.

Prove that
1 1 1
√ + √ + √ ≥ 1.
x y z
Problem S289, Mathematical Reflections 1/2014

Special cases, such as the above, can be proved using classical inequalities such as
AM-GM, Cauchy-Schwarz, or Hölder’s inequalities.

References
[1] Titu Andreescu, Vasile Cirtoaje, Gabriel Dospinescu, Mircea Lascu, Old and New Inequal-
ities, Gil Publishing House, 2004
[2] http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=418784&p=2363486
[3] http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=528456&p=3007336

Marius Stanean, Zalau, Romania

Email address: marius.stanean@gmail.com