Proposed Solution to #5738 SSMJ

Solution proposed by Prakash Pant, Mathematics Initiatives in Nepal, Bardiya,

Nepal.

Problem proposed by Goran Conar, Varazdin, Croatia.

Statement of the Problem: Let x1 , ......xn > 0 be real numbers and

s = ni=1 xi . Prove
P

n n
s sY
xi
(1 + xi )xi .
Y
xi ≥ ( )
i=1 n + s i=1
When does equality occur?

Solution of the Problem: We first rearrange the problem as follows:

n
Y xi xi s s
( ) ≥( )
i=1 1 + xi n+s
We further modify the problem taking log on both sides,
n
X xi s
xi ln( ) ≥ s ln( ) ...........(1)
i=1 1 + xi n+s
Now, we will focus on proving this statement.

x 1
Then, consider a function f (x) = x ln( 1+x ). Then f”(x) = x(1+x)2
> 0
∀x > 0. So, the function is convex in our required interval.
Now, using Jensen’s inequality,
Pn
Pn xi Pn xi
i=1 xi ln( 1+xi ) xi i=1
i=1 n
≥ ln( P n )
n n 1+ i=1
xi
n
which on simplification gives
n
X xi s
xi ln( ) ≥ s ln( )
i=1 1 + xi n+s
which is what was to be proved from (1). And the equality holds when
x1 = x2 = .... = xn .