Problems and Solutions

Reviewed work(s):
Source: The American Mathematical Monthly, Vol. 118, No. 10 (December 2011), pp. 936-945
Published by: Mathematical Association of America
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 PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Edited by Gerald A. Edgar, Doug Hensley, Douglas B. West
with the collaboration of Mike Bennett, Itshak Borosh, Paul Bracken, Ezra A. Brown,
Randall Dougherty, Tamás Erdélyi, Zachary Franco, Christian Friesen, Ira M. Ges-
sel, László Lipták, Frederick W. Luttmann, Vania Mascioni, Frank B. Miles, Bog-
dan Petrenko, Richard Pfiefer, Cecil C. Rousseau, Leonard Smiley, Kenneth Stolarsky,
Richard Stong, Walter Stromquist, Daniel Ullman, Charles Vanden Eynden, Sam Van-
dervelde, and Fuzhen Zhang.

Proposed problems and solutions should be sent in duplicate to the MONTHLY

problems address on the back of the title page. Proposed problems should never
be under submission concurrently to more than one journal. Submitted solutions
should arrive before April 30, 2012. Additional information, such as general-
izations and references, is welcome. The problem number and the solver’s name
and address should appear on each solution. An asterisk (*) after the number of
a problem or a part of a problem indicates that no solution is currently available.

PROBLEMS
11607. Proposed by Jeffrey C. Lagarias and Andrey Mischenko, University of Michi-
gan, Ann Arbor, MI. Let C0 , C1 , C2 , C3 , with subscripts taken modulo 4, be circles in
the Euclidean plane.
(a) Given for k ∈ Z4 that Ck and Ck+1 intersect with orthogonal tangents, and the
interiors of Ck and Ck+2 are disjoint, show that the four circles have a common
point.
(b)* Does the same conclusion hold in hyperbolic and spherical geometry?

11608. Proposed by D. Aharonov and U. Elias, Technion—Israel Institute of Technol-

ogy, Haifa, Israel. Let f and g be functions on R that are differentiable n + m times,
where n and m are integers with n ≥ 1 and m ≥ 0. Let A(x) be the (n + m) × (n + m)
matrix given by
(
( f k−1 (x))( j−1) , if 1 ≤ j ≤ n;
A j,k (x) =
(g k−1 (x))( j−1−n) , if n < j ≤ n + m,

Let P = rn−1
Q Qm−1
=1 r ! q=1 q!. Prove that

det A(x) = P f (x)n g(x)m [g(x) − f (x)]mn f 0 (x)n(n−1)/2 g 0 (x)m(m−1)/2 .

11609. Proposed by M. N. Deshpande, Nagpur, India. Let n be an integer greater

than 1, and let Sk (n) be the family of all subsets of {2, 3, . . . , n} with k elements.
Let H (k) = kj=1 1j . Show that
P

n−1
X X Y1
(2n + 1 − 2k) = (n + 1)((n + 2) − H (n + 1)).
k=0 A∈S (n) j∈A
j
k

http://dx.doi.org/10.4169/amer.math.monthly.118.10.936

936 c THE MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA [Monthly 118

11610. Proposed by Richard P. Stanley, Massachussetts Institute of Technology, Cam-
bridge, MA. Let f (n) be the number of binary words a1 · · · an of length n that have the
same number of pairs ai ai+1 equal to 00 as equal to 01. Show that
∞
!
X 1 1 1 + 2t
f (n)t =
n
+p .
n=0
2 1−t (1 − t)(1 − 2t)(1 + t + 2t 2 )

11611. Proposed by Ovidiu Furdui, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca Cluj, Roma-

nia. Let f be a continuous function from [0, 1] into [0, ∞). Find
Z 1 X ∞
!2
xk
lim n f (x) d x.
n→∞ x=0 k=n
k

11612. Proposed by Paul Bracken, University of Texas, Edinburg, TX. Evaluate in

closed form
∞ 
n + z + 1 n (2z−2n+1)/(2n)
Y 
e .
n=1
n+z

11613. Proposed by Stephen Morris, Newbury, U. K., and Stan Wagon, Macalester
College, St. Paul, MN. You are organizing a racing event with 25 horses on a track that
can accommodate five horses per race. Each horse always runs the course in the same
time, the 25 times are distinct, and you cannot use a stopwatch.
(a) Show how to arrange 7 races so that after all races are run, you will have enough
information to determine which of the 25 horses present is fastest, which is next
fastest, and which is third fastest. You may use the results of earlier races to
schedule which horses compete in later races.
(b) Show that with just 6 races, it is not possible to be sure of knowing which are
the top two horses.
(c) Give a procedure that uses 6 races and, with probability at least 3/10, yields
information sufficient to determine the fastest horse and the runner up. You
have no a priori knowledge of the relative strengths of the 25 horses.
(d) Give a procedure that uses 6 races and, with probability at least 1/20, yields
information sufficient to determine which horse of the 25 is fastest, next fastest,
and third fastest.

SOLUTIONS

More than Meets the Eye

11294 [2007,451]. Proposed by John Zucker, King’s College, London, U. K. and Ross
McPhedran, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Show that
∞
( ∞ )
X X (−1)m+n
m=−∞ n=−∞
(5m)2 + (5n + 1)2

π √ √ √ √
  q 
= log(11 + 5 5) − 5 log 5+1− 5+2 5 . (1)
25

December 2011] PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS 937

Solution by Robin Chapman, University of Exeter, Exeter, U. K. The solution was too
long to present in full detail; this is a condensed version. Let S be the value of the
required sum. The double series in (1) does not converge absolutely, so care is needed,
but the order of summation can be reversed. The Poisson summation formula is then
applied to the new inner sum to yield (after simplification)
∞
2π X X u (2r +1)k
S= (−1)k−1 ,
5 r =0 k≥1 k
k≡±1

where u = e−π/5 and the congruence in the inner sum is modulo 5. With ζ = e2πi/5 ,
this can be rewritten as
∞
5 √ ∞
π Y 1 + u 2r +1 π 5 Y (1 + ζ u 2r +1 )(ζ −1 u 2r +1 )
S= log + log .
25 r =0
1+u 5(2r +1) 25 r =0
(1 + ζ 2 u 2r +1 )(1 + ζ −2 u 2r +1 )

π
 √ 
We define A and P by rewriting this as S = 25 log A + 5 log P .
Now A can be related to the Dedekind eta function, defined for τ in the upper half-
plane by
∞
Y
η(τ ) = exp(πiτ/12) (1 − exp(2πinτ )).
n=1

The Weber function f is now defined by

f(z) = exp(−πi/24)η((z + 1)/2)/η(z)

∞
Y
= exp(−πi z/24) (1 + exp(πi(2n − 1)z)); (1)
n=1

it satisfies f(z + 2) = exp(−πi/12)f(z) and f(−1/z) = f(z). A straightforward

√ com-
putation now shows that A = f(i/5)5 /f(i). The identities η(−1/z) = z/iη(z) and
f (z)6 − f (z)5 f (5z)5 + 4 f (z) f (5z) + f (5z)6 = 0 (see [5, Section 18.5] and [6,
√ Sec-
tion 7.14]) now allow for the evaluations f(i) = 21/4 and f(i/5) = 21/4 (1 + 5)/2.
For P, the Jacobi triple product identity ([6 Section 7.4], or http://wikipedia.
org/wiki/Triple_product_identity) yields
∞
Y (1 + ζ u 2r +1 )(ζ −1 u 2r +1 )
P=
r =0
(1 + ζ 2 u 2r +1 )(1 + ζ −2 u 2r +1 )
∞
Y (1 + ζ u 2r +1 )(ζ −1 u 2r +1 )(1 − u −2r )
=
r =0
(1 + ζ 2 u 2r +1 )(1 + ζ −2 u 2r +1 )(1 − u −2r )
m m2
m=−∞ ζ u
P∞
θ1
= = ,
m=−∞ ζ
θ2
P∞ 2m u m 2

jm m 2
where θ j = ∞m=−∞ ζ u . Further calculations relate θ1 + θ2 and θ1 θ2 to f(i/5), f(i),
P
and η(i/5). With this information in hand, θ1 and θ2 can be evaluated and the solution
completed.

938 c THE MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA [Monthly 118

Editorial comment. Another full solution grew out of a partial solution provided by
George Lamb. Lamb determined A and reduced the determination of P to the task of
proving an intriguing identity. To state this identity, we introduce the standard notation
∞
Y
(a; q)∞ = (1 − aq n ), |q| < 1.
n=0

Lamb conjectured that if q = e−π , then

1 1/6  3/5
q (−q; q 10 )2∞ (−q 9 ; q 10 )2∞ + q −3/5 (−q 3 ; q 10 )2∞ (−q 7 ; q 10 )2∞ = 1.

q (3)
4
The editors then contacted Bruce Berndt. He and Mathew Rogers found that (3)
could be reformulated in terms of Ramanujan’s theta function
∞
2
X
ϕ(q) = qn , |q| < 1,
n=−∞

and the Rogers-Ramanujan continued fraction

q 1/5
R(q) = .
q
1+
q2
1+
.
1 + ..

With q = e−π , the claimed identity, (3), can be written in the equivalent form

ϕ(q) ϕ(q) 5/6 (q ; q )∞

 2  2 10 10 2
R (q )
2 4
+ 1 + R (q
−2 4
) − 1 = 16q . (4)
ϕ(q 5 ) ϕ(q 5 ) ϕ 2 (q 5 )
√
Ramanujan gave 128/( 5 + 1)4 for the right side of (4). As to the left side, Ramanu-
jan’s second notebook yields

ϕ(e−π )
ϕ e−5π = p √ ,


5 5 − 10
√
while in Ramanujan’s
√ first notebook one finds R(e−4π ) = c2 + 1 − c, where 2c =
1 + (51/4 + 1) 5/(51/4 − 1). Combining these gives (4); full details are available in
[4]. The paper includes further results in the same vein. One additional special case of
these is that
∞ ∞
X X (−1)m+n 2π  √ 
= log 2( 3 − 1) .
n=−∞ m=−∞
m 2 + (3n + 1)2 9

REFERENCES

1. G. E. Andrews and B. C. Berndt, Ramanujan’s Lost Notebook, Part I, Springer, New York, 2005.
2. B. C. Berndt, Ramanujan’s Notebooks, Part III, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1991.
3. B. C. Berndt, Ramanujan’s Notebooks, Part V, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1998.

December 2011] PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS 939

4. B. C. Berndt and M. Rogers, Two-dimensional series evaluations via the elliptic functions of Ramanujan
and Jacobi, Ramanujan J., to appear, arXiv: 1108.4980 [math.NT], 2011.
5. Serge Lang, Elliptic Functions (2nd ed.), Springer-Verlag, New York, 1987.
6. Viktor Prasolov and Yuri Solovyev, Elliptic Functions and Elliptic Integrals, Amer. Math. Soc., Provi-
dence, RI, 1997.

Also solved by the proposers. Partially solved George Lamb and by Albert Stadler (Switzerland).

Inequality via Equality

11504 and 11512 [2010, 458 and 558]. Proposed by Finbarr Holland, University Col-
lege Cork, Cork, Ireland. Let N be a nonnegative integer. For x ≥ 0, prove that
−m+1 k m
N NX
!
X 1 x
≥ 1 + x + · · · + xN.
m=0
m! k=1
k

Solution by Nicholas C. Singer, Annandale, VA. The term corresponding to m = 0 is

1, so for N = 0 both sides are 1. Now assume N ≥ 1. For nonnegative integer k and
power series f (x), let [x k ] f (x) denote the coefficient of x k in f (x). All coefficients
on the left side are nonnegative, so it suffices to prove that for 1 ≤ s ≤ N ,
N NX
−m+1
!m
s
X 1 xk
[x ] = 1.
m=1
m! k=1
k

Let P be a polynomial of degree n, let Q be a polynomial or power series, and let m be

a nonnegative integer. If s < m, then [x s ](x n+2 Q(x) + x P(x))m = 0 = [x s ](x P(x))m .
If m ≤ s ≤ n + m, then 0 ≤ s − m ≤ n and
[x s ](x n+2 Q(x) + x P(x))m = [x s ](x m (x n+1 Q(x) + P(x))m )
= [x s−m ](x n+1 Q(x) + P(x))m
= [x s−m ](P m (x) + m P m−1 (x)x n+1 Q(x) + · · · )
= [x s−m ]P m (x)
= [x s ](x P(x))m .
We take n = N − m,
NX
−m+1 1
x k−1 log 1−x − x P(x)
P(x) = , and Q(x) = .
k=1
k x N −m+2

Since log(1/(1 − x)) = ∞ k=1 x /k,

k
P

−m+1 k m
 m NX
!
1 x
[x s ] log = [x s ] , 0 ≤ s, m ≤ N .
1−x k=1
k

k=0 (x + k).
Let ms denote the coefficient of x s in m−1
  Q
(These coefficients are known as
unsigned Stirling numbers of the first kind.) Then n0 = 0 for n > 0 and ms = 0 for
  
m > s. By Graham, Knuth, and Patashnik, Concrete Mathematics (Addison-Wesley,
Boston, 1988), 7.50 and 6.9, we have
  n  
1 m! s X n
s
[x ] log m
= , = n!.
1−x s! m m=0
m

940 c THE MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA [Monthly 118

The required result now follows:
N NX
−m+1
!m N N
k
 
s
X 1 x X 1 s m 1 X 1 s
[x ] = [x ] log = = 1.
m=1
m! k=1
k m=1
m! 1−x m=1
s! m

Editorial comment. The editors slipped up and posed the problem twice, having logged
it into the system twice and gotten positive reviews both times, from different review-
ers.
Also solved by G. Apostolopoulis (Greece), R. Bagby, D. Beckwith, R. Chapman (U. K.), R. Cheplyaka, V.
Lucic & L. Pebody, P. P. Dályay (Hungary), E. Ehrenborg, M. Goldenberg & M. Kaplan, O. Kouba (Syria), J. H.
Lindsey II, O. P. Lossers (Netherlands), J. McDonald, P. Perfetti & R. Tauraso (Italy), B. Schmuland (Canada),
J. Simons (U. K.), T. Starbird, A. Stenger, R. Stong, M. Tetiva (Romania), J. Vinuesa (Spain), H. Widmer
(Switzerland), S. Xiao (Canada), S.-J. Yoon (Korea), BSI Problems Group (Germany), Ellington Management
Problem Solving Group, GCHQ Problem Solving Group (U. K.), and the proposer.

Equality of Integrals
11506 [2010, 459]. Proposed by M. L. Glasser, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Show that for positive integers m and n with m + n < mn, and for positive a and b,
 π  Z ∞ x 1/n b1/m − x 1/m  π  Z ∞ x 1/m a 1/n − x 1/n
sin d x = sin d x.
n x=0 x + a b−x m x=0 x + b a − x

Solution by Omran Kouba, Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technology,
Damascus, Syria. In fact, more generally, we will prove that
x α bβ − x β x β aα − x α
Z ∞ Z ∞
sin(απ) d x = sin(βπ ) dx
0 x +a b−x 0 x +b a−x
for every positive a, b, α, and β such that α + β < 1.
Define F by
π x β aα − x α
Z ∞
F(a, α, b, β) = d x.
sin(απ) 0 x + b a − x
For positive a, b, α, β such that α + β < 1, the defining integral converges. It remains
to show that F(a, R ∞α, b, β) = F(b, β, a, α).
Let I (α) = 0 (t α−1 dt)/(1 + t). Putting t = e x gives I (α) = −∞ (eαx d x)/(1 +
R∞
e x ). To compute this integral, we put f (z) = eαz /(1 − e z ), integrate f counterclock-
wise around the rectangle with vertices ±R ± iπ , and then apply the residue theorem.
The only singularity of f (z) inside the rectangle is at the origin, where the residue is
−1. The integrals along the vertical sides of the rectangle tend to 0 as R → ∞ and the
integrals along the horizontal sides sum to −2i sin(απ ) −R (eαx d x)/(1 + e x ). Hence
RR
R ∞ αx
sin(απ ) −∞ (e d x)/(1 + e x ) = π , or I (α) = π/ sin(απ ).
Substituting t/λ for t in this equation, when λ is positive we get
π λ
Z ∞
α
λ = t α dt.
sin(απ) 0 t (λ + t)
It follows that, for a > 0 and x > 0,
π
Z ∞  Z ∞
α α a x α a−x
(a − x ) = − t dt = t α dt.
sin(απ ) 0 t (a + t) t (x + t) 0 (a + t)(x + t)

December 2011] PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS 941

That is,
π aα − x α ∞
tα
Z
= dt.
sin(απ) a − x 0 (a + t)(x + t)
Using this in the definition of F, and noting that the integrands are positive, we con-
clude that
xβ tα
Z ∞Z ∞
1
F(a, α, b, β) = · · dt d x.
x=0 t=0 x + b a + t x + t
Thus, F(a, α, b, β) = F(b, β, a, α).
Editorial comment. Kouba remarked that
π 2 bα+β sin(βπ) + a α+β sin(απ ) − a α bβ sin((α + β)π )
F(a, α, b, β) = .
a+b sin(απ) sin(βπ ) sin((α + β)π )

Also solved by D. Beckwith, K. N. Boyadzhiev, R. Chapman (U. K.), H. Chen, J. A. Grzesik, G. Lamb, V. H.
Moll, R. Stong, GCHQ Problem Solving Group (U. K.), and the proposer.

Apply AM–GM
11514 [2010, 559]. Proposed by Mihaly Bencze, Braşov, P Romania. Let k be a positive
integer, and let a1 , . . . , an be positive numbers such that i=1
n
aik = 1. Show that
n
X 1
ai + Qn ≥ n 1−1/k + n n/k .
i=1 i=1 ai

Solution
Pn by Pál Péter
QnDályay, Szeged, By the AM–GM inequality, we have
Qn Hungary.−n/k
1 = i=1 aik ≥ n( i=1 ai )k/n , so i=1 ai ≤ n . Using the AM–GM inequality
again,
n n
!1/n
X 1 Y 1
ai + Qn ≥n ai + Qn . (1)
i=1 i=1 ai i=1 i=1 ai

The function f given by f (x) = nx 1/n + x −1 is differentiable on R+ , and f 0 (x) =

x 1/n−1 − x −2 = x −2 (x 1+1/n −Q 1). Note that f 0 (x) < 0 on (0, 1), so f is strictly de-
creasing on (0, 1]. Since 0 < i=1 n
ai ≤ n −n/k ≤ 1, it follows that
n
!1/n
Y 1
≥ f n −n/k = n 1−1/k + n n/k .


n ai + Qn (2)
i=1 i=1 ai

The required inequality follows from (1) and (2).

Editorial comment. The stated result can be generalized. Five solvers observed that it
is not necessary to restrict k to integer values. The most general result, obtained by
Marian Tetiva (Romania), is that for k > 0,
k n/k
Pn Pn

i=1 ai i=1 ai

+ Qn ≥ n 1−1/k + n n/k .
k 1/k
Pn
a i=1 ai
i=1 i

Also solved by R. Bagby, P. Bracken, M. Can, R. Chapman (U. K.), R. Cheplyaka & V. Lucic & L. Pebody,
D. Fleischman, M. Goldenberg & M. Kaplan, S. Hazratpour (Iran), E. A. Herman, E. Hysnelaj (Australia) &

942 c THE MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA [Monthly 118

E. Bojaxhiu (Germany), O. Kouba (Syria), J. H. Lindsey II, O. P. Lossers (Netherlands), P. Perfetti (Italy),
K. Schilling, J. Simons (U. K.), S. Song (Korea), A. Stenger, R. Stong, M. Tetiva (Romania), E. I. Verriest,
H. Widmer (Switzerland), Y. Xu (China), BSI Problems Group (Germany), Ellington Management Problem
Solving Group, GCHQ Problem Solving Group (U. K.), Mathramz Problem Solving Group, and the proposer.

Hidden Telescope
11515 [2010, 559]. Proposed by Estelle L. Basor, American Institute of Mathemat-
ics, Palo Alto, CA, Steven N. Evans, University of California, Berkeley, CA, and Kent
E. Morrison, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA. Find a
closed-form expression for
∞
X
4n sin4 2−n θ .


n=1

Solution by Nicolás Caro, Colombia. Since sin4 x = sin2 x − 14 sin2 (2x), we have
4n sin4 (2−n θ ) = 4n sin2 (2−n θ) − 4n−1 sin2 (2−(n−1) θ ). So this is a telescoping series,
with sum equal to
∞
X
4n sin4 (2−n θ) = lim 4n sin2 (2−n θ ) − sin2 θ
n→∞
n=1

sin(2−n θ )
 2
= lim − sin2 θ = θ 2 − sin2 θ.
n→∞ 2−n

Editorial comment. Several solvers noted that the finite version of this sum appears
as equation 1.362 in Gradshteyn and Ryzhik, Table of Integrals, Series and Products.
The earliest reference provided (by Giorgio Malisani) was to item 47 on p. 33 of C.-A.
Laisant, Essai sur les fonctions hyperboliques, Gauthier-Villars, 1874.
Also solved by U. Abel (Germany), T. Amdeberhan & V. H. Moll, R. Bagby, D. H. Bailey (U.S.A.) & J. M.
Borwein (Canada), M. Bataille (France), D. Beckwith, M. Benito & Ó. Ciaurri & E. Fernández & L. Roncal
(Spain), E. H. M. Brietzke (Brazil), M. A. Carlton, R. Chapman (U. K.), H. Chen, R. Cheplyaka & V. Lucic
& L. Pebody, P. P. Dályay (Hungary), P. Deiermann, C. Delorme (France), P. J. Fitzsimmons, C. Georghiou
(Greece), M. L. Glasser, M. Goldenberg & M. Kaplan, G. C. Greubel, J. M. Groah, J. W. Hagood, C. C.
Heckman, E. A. Herman, C. Hill, E. Hysnelaj (Australia) & E. Bojaxhiu (Germany), W. P. Johnson, O. Kouba
(Syria), G. Lamb, R. Lampe, W. C. Lang, O. P. Lossers (Netherlands), J. Magliano, G. Malisani (Italy), M.
McMullen, N. Mecholsky & Y.-N. Yoon, B. Mulansky (Germany), S. Mutameni, R. Nandan, M. Omarjee
(France), É. Pité (France), J. Posch, R. C. Rhoades, H. Riesel (Sweden), R. E. Rogers, O. G. Ruehr, B. Schmu-
land (Canada), C. R. & S. Selvaraj, J. Senadheera, B. Sim, R. A. Simón (Chile), J. Simons (U. K.), N. C.
Singer, S. Singh, S. Song (Korea), A. Stenger, I. Sterling, R. Stong, R. Tauraso (Italy), M. Tetiva (Romania),
N. Thornber, D. B. Tyler, E. I. Verriest, J. Vinuesa (Spain), M. Vowe (Switzerland), H. Widmer (Switzerland),
J. B. Zacharias, S. M. Zemyan, BSI Problems Group (Germany), Ellington Management Problem Solving
Group, GCHQ Problem Solving Group (U. K.), Mathramz Problem Solving Group, NSA Problems Group,
and the proposers.

A Third-Derivative Integral Inequality

11517 [2010, 649]. Proposed by Cezar Lupu, student, University of Bucharest,
Bucharest, Romania, and Tudorel Lupu, Decebal High School, Constanta, Romania.
Let f be a three-times differentiable real-valued function on [a, b] with f (a) = f (b).
Prove that
Z (a+b)/2
 (b − a)4
Z b 
(x) (x) sup | f 000 (x)|.

 f d x − f d x ≤

a (a+b)/2
 192 x∈[a,b]

December 2011] PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS 943

Solution by John H. Smith, Boston College, Boston, MA. By simple changes of vari-
ables we may assume that a = −1, b = 1, and f (−1) = f (1) = 0. Since subtract-
ing a multiple of 1 − x 2 from f (x) does not affect either side of the inequality,
we may also assume that f (0) = 0. This suggests a comparison with x 3 − x, for
which the inequality is equality. Multiplying by a suitable constant, we may as-
R0 R1
sume that supx∈[−1,1] | f 000 (x)| = 6 and −1 f (x) d x − 0 f (x) d x > 0. Suppose that
R0 R1
−1
f (x) d x − 0 f (x) d x > 12 ; we show that this leads to a contradiction by finding
a point h with −1 < h < 1 and f 000 (h) > 6.
R0 R1
Let g(x) = f (x) − (x 3 − x). Then −1 g(x) d x − 0 g(x) d x > 0, so either there
exists c in (−1, 0) at which g is positive, or c in (0, 1) at which g is negative. We treat
the first case; the second case is quite similar. Note that g(−1) = g(0) = g(1) = 0.
We are given c with −1 < c < 0 and g(c) > 0. Thus, there exist d1 , d2 , d3 with
−1 < d1 < c < d2 < 0 < d3 < 1 such that g 0 is positive at d1 , negative at d2 , and 0
at d3 . Hence there are e1 and e2 with d1 < e1 < d2 < e2 < d3 such that g 00 (e1 ) < 0
and g 00 (e2 ) > 0. We conclude that there exists h such that e1 < h < e2 and g 000 (h) > 0.
Equivalently, f 000 (h) > 6.
Also solved by O. J. L. Alfonso (Colombia), K. F. Andersen (Canada), G. Apostolopoulos (Greece), R. Bagby,
M. Benito & Ó. Ciaurri & E. Fernandéz & L. Roncal (Spain), P. Bracken, R. Chapman (U. K.), P. P. Dályay
(Hungary), N. Eldredge, M. Goldenberg & M. Kaplan, E. A. Herman, S. Hitotumatu (Japan), O. Kouba (Syria),
E. Kouris (France), J. H. Lindsey II, B. Mulansky (Germany), W. Nuij (Netherlands), M. Omarjee (France), P.
Perfetti (Italy), Á. Plaza (Spain), E. Poffald, K. Saha (India), J. Simons (U. K.), Z.-M. Song & L. Yin (China),
A. Stenger, R. Stong, R. Tauraso (Italy), T. Trif (Romania), Barclays Capital Quantitative Analytics Group,
GCHQ Problem Solving Group (U. K.), Matematicamente.It Forum Community (Italy), Mathramz Problem
Solving Group, and the proposers.

A Zeta Inequality
11518 [2010, 649]. Proposed by Mihaly Bencze, P Brasov, Romania. Suppose n ≥ 2 and
let λ1 , . . . , λn be positive numbers such that nk=1 1/λk = 1. Prove that
 
n k−1
ζ (λ1 ) X 1  X 1
+ ζ (λk ) − j −λk  ≥ .
λ1 λ
k=2 k j=1
(n − 1)(n − 1)!

Solution by Barclays Capital Quantitative Analytics Group, London, U. K. Let L be

the expression on the left side of the inequality. Since λk > 1, the usual series for the
zeta function converges, so
n ∞ n ∞
X 1 X −λk X 1 X
L= j = ( j + k)−λk .
k=1
λk j=k k=1
λk j=0

All of the terms are nonnegative, so we may rearrange them to obtain

∞ X n
X ( j + k)−λk
L= .
j=0 k=1
λk

The weighted arithmetic mean–geometric mean inequality gives

n n 
X ( j + k)−λk Y 1/λk 1 j!
≥ ( j + k)−λk = Qn = .
k=1
λk k=1 k=1 ( j + k) ( j + n)!

944 c THE MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA [Monthly 118

Therefore
∞ ∞
( j + n) j! ( j + 1) j!
X 1  
X j!
L≥ = −
j=0
( j + n)! j=0
n−1 ( j + n)! ( j + n)!
∞ 
( j + 1)!

1 X j!
= −
n − 1 j=0 ( j + n − 1)! ( j + n)!
N 
( j + 1)!

1 X j!
= lim −
n − 1 N →∞ j=0 ( j + n − 1)! ( j + n)!

(N + 1)!
 
1 1
= lim −
n − 1 N →∞ (n − 1)! (N + n)!
1
= ,
(n − 1)(n − 1)!
as required.
Editorial comment. The GCHQ Problem Solving Group (U. K.) reported empirical
evidence suggesting the stronger inequality
 
n k−1
ζ (λ1 ) X 1  X 1 1
+ ζ (λk ) − j −λk  > + .
λ1 λ
k=2 k j=1
(n − 1)(n − 1)! (n + 1)!

Also solved by T. Amderberhan & V. De Angelis, R. Bagby, P. P. Dályay (Hungary), R. Stong, GCHQ Problem
Solving Group (U. K.), and the proposer.

Errata and End Notes for 2011.

Several readers noted a gap in the logic of the published solution (2010, 745) to
11384 (2008, 757). This solution relied on the alternating series test, which requires
that the terms’ absolute values eventually tend monotonically to zero. Some informa-
tion about the distribution of primes is therefore required for a solution, contrary to the
claim in the editorial comment.
Peter Nüesch wrote to inform us that problem 11552 (2011, 178) is a special case
of problem 1320 by V. Komecny in Mathematics Magazine (1989, 137).

December 2011] PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS 945