H olders Inequality

tonypr
June 2, 2011
In this lecture, well cover several applications of H olders Inequality. Before we begin,
its recommended that the reader be familiar with the following inequalities: Trivial
Inequality, Arithmetic Mean - Geometric Mean and the Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality. If
the reader, (yes, you), is not familiar with these inequalities, please raise your hand.
1 The Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality (Generalized)
Lets recall the Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality:
Theorem 1.1 (The Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality): Let a
1
, a
2
, a
n
, b
1
, b
2
, , b
n
be real
numbers, then,
(a
2
1
+ a
2
2
+ + a
2
n
)(b
2
1
+ b
2
2
+ + b
2
n
) (a
1
b
1
+ a
2
b
2
+ + a
n
b
n
)
2
with equality if and only if
a
1
b
1
=
a
2
b
2
= =
a
n
b
n
.
We note that, in the Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality, the left hand side has two products
where the terms inside are elevated to the second power. In H olders Inequality, we take
that two and generalize it. For example, by Holders Inequality on positive real numbers
a
1
, a
2
, a
3
, b
1
, b
2
, b
3
, c
1
, c
2
, c
3
, we have,
(a
3
1
+ a
3
2
+ a
3
3
)(b
3
1
+ b
3
2
+ b
3
3
)(c
3
1
+ c
3
2
+ c
3
3
) (a
1
b
1
c
1
+ a
2
b
2
c
2
+ a
3
b
3
c
3
)
3
Its important to note that now, instead of there being two products with terms inside
being elevated to the second power, there are three products with terms inside elevated
to the third power. Similarly, if we were to have four products, then the terms inside
would be elevated to the fourth power, and so on. Formally, this inequality is equivalent
to,
Theorem 1.2 (H olders Inequality): For all a
i
j
> 0 where 1 i m, 1 j n we
have,
m

i=1
_
n

j=1
a
i
j
_

_
_
n

j=1
m

_
m

i=1
a
i
j
_
_
m
Note that the Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality is Holders Inequality for the case m = 2.
Example 1.3: Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
(a
3
+ 2)(b
3
+ 2)(c
3
+ 2) (a + b + c)
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OMPR 2011 H olders Inequality Olympiad Training Camp
Proof. By Holders Inequality, we have that,
(a
3
+ 1 + 1)(1 + b
3
+ 1)(1 + 1 + c
3
)
_
3

a
3
1 1 +
3

1 b
3
1 +
3

1 1 c
3
_
3
Or,
(a
3
+ 2)(b
3
+ 2)(c
3
+ 2) (a + b + c)
3
And were done!
Example 1.4: Prove the Arithmetic Mean - Geometric Mean Inequality.
Proof. The Arithmetic Mean - Geometric Mean Inequality states that for positive real
numbers a
1
, a
2
, , a
n
the following inequality holds,
a
1
+ a
2
+ + a
n
n

n

a
1
a
2
a
3
a
n
Hence, it is equivalent to proving that,
a
1
+ a
2
+ + a
n
n
n

a
1
a
2
a
3
a
n
Or,
(a
1
+ a
2
+ + a
n
)
n
(na
1
a
2
a
n
)
n
Next we note that,
(a
1
+a
2
+ +a
n
)
n
= (a
1
+a
2
+ +a
n
)(a
2
+a
3
+ +a
n
+a
1
) (a
n
+a
1
+a
2
+ +a
n1
)
The result then follows directly by applying Holders Inequality, and so we are done!
Example 1.5 (Junior Balkan MO, 2002): Prove that for all positive real numbers a, b, c,
the following inequality takes place
1
b(a + b)
+
1
c(b + c)
+
1
a(c + a)

27
2(a + b + c)
2
Proof. This problem is probably one of the best examples of H olders Inequality. It
practically has H olders Inequality written all over it. First, we note that 3
3
= 27, hence
we might expect Holders Inequality to be used on the product of three terms. Next we
note that,
2(a + b + c) = (a + b) + (b + c) + (c + a)
So, by multiplying both sides of the inequality by 2(a + b + c)
2
, it is equivalent with,
((a + b) + (b + c) + (c + a))(b + c + a)
_
1
b(a + b)
+
1
c(b + c)
+
1
a(c + a)
_
27
Which is true by H olders Inequality. Hence the inequality,
1
b(a + b)
+
1
c(b + c)
+
1
a(c + a)

27
2(a + b + c)
2
is also true, so we are done!
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Example 1.6: Let a and b be positive real numbers such that a + b = 1. Prove that
1
a
2
+
1
b
2
8
Proof. First we note that,
1
a
2
+
1
b
2
= (a + b)(a + b)
_
1
a
2
+
1
b
2
_
Then, by Holders Inequality, we have,
(a + b)(a + b)
_
1
a
2
+
1
b
2
_

_
3
_
a a
a
2
+
3
_
b b
b
2
_
3
= 8
Example 1.7: Let a, b and c be positive real numbers such that a + b + c = 1. Prove
that
4a
3
+ 9b
3
+ 36c
3
1
Proof. Note that,
1
2
+
1
3
+
1
6
= 1
Then, by applying H olders Inequality, we have,
_
1
2
+
1
3
+
1
6
__
1
2
+
1
3
+
1
6
_
(4a
3
+ 9b
3
+ 36c
3
) (a + b + c)
3
= 1
And were done.
Example 1.8: Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
a + b

a + 2c
+
b + c

b + 2a
+
c + a

c + 2b
2

a + b + c
Proof. A common strategy used when solving problems that include square roots in the
denominator is to square the expression on the left hand side then multiply by whats
inside the square root times the numerator and apply H olders Inequality like so
_
a + b

a + 2c
+
b + c

b + 2a
+
c + a

c + 2b
_
2
_

cyc
(a + b)(a + 2c)
_
8(a + b + c)
3
Next we note that,

cyc
(a + b)(a + 2c) = (a + b + c)
2
+ 3(ab + bc + ac)
Hence, it is sucient to Prove that
8(a + b + c)
3
(a + b + c)
2
+ 3(ab + bc + ac)
(2

a + b + c)
2
The rest of the proof is left as an exercise to the reader.
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1.1 Practice Problems
1. Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
(a)
a
2
b
+
b
2
c
+
c
2
a

(a + b + c)
3
3(ab + bc + ac)
(b)
1
a
+
1
b
+
1
c

_
27
ab + bc + ac
(c)
a
2
a + b
+
b
2
b + c
+
c
2
c + a

a + b + c
2
(d)
a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
a + b + c

_
abc(a + b + c)
ab + bc + ac
(e)
a
3
+ b
3
+ c
3
3 = a + b + c 3
2. Let a, b and c be positive real numbers such that a + b + c = 1. Prove that
(a)
3

99
3

1 + 8a +
3

1 + 8b +
3

1 + 8c
(b) For a positive integer n:
n

ab + bc + ac a
n
_
b + c
2
+ b
n
_
a + c
2
+ c
n
_
a + b
2
3. Let a
1
, a
2
, , a
n
be positive real numbers. Prove that
(1 + a
1
)(1 + a
2
) (1 + a
n
) (1 +
n

a
1
a
2
a
n
)
n
4. Let a, b, c, x, y and z be positive real numbers. Prove that
a
3
x
+
b
3
y
+
c
3
z

(a + b + c)
3
3(x + y + z)
5. Let a, b and c be positive real numbers such that a + b + c = 1. Prove that
1
a(3b + 1)
+
1
b(3c + 1)
+
1
c(3a + 1)

9
2
6. Let a and b be positive real numbers such that a
2
+ b
2
= 1. Prove that
_
1
a
+
1
b
__
b
a
2
+ 1
+
a
b
2
+ 1
_

8
3
4
OMPR 2011 H olders Inequality Olympiad Training Camp
7. Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
a +

ab +
3

abc
3

3

a
_
a + b
2
_

_
a + b + c
3
_
8. (Vasile Cirtoaje) Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
a

a + 2b
+
b

b + 2c
+
c

c + 2a

a + b + c
9. (Samin Riasat) Let a, b, c, m, n be positive real numbers. Prove that
a
2
b(ma + nb)
+
b
2
c(mb + nc)
+
c
2
a(mc + na)

3
m + n
10. (Indonesia, 2010) Let a, b and c be non-negative real numbers and let x, y and z be
positive real numbers such that a + b + c = x + y + z. Prove that
a
3
x
2
+
b
3
y
2
+
c
3
z
2
a + b + c
11. (USAMO, 2004) For positive real numbers a, b and c. Prove that
(a
5
a
2
+ 3)(b
5
b
2
+ 3)(c
5
c
2
+ 3) (a + b + c)
3
12. (Austria, 2005) Let a, b, c and d be positive real numbers. Prove that
1
a
3
+
1
b
3
+
1
c
3
+
1
d
3

a + b + c + d
abcd
13. (IMO Longlist, 1986) Let k be one of the integers 2, 3, 4 and let n = 2
k
1. Prove
the inequality
1 + b
k
+ b
2k
+ + b
nk
(1 + b
n
)
k
for all real b 0.
14. (IMO Shortlist, 1998) Let x, y and z be positive real numbers such that xyz = 1.
Prove that
x
3
(1 + y)(1 + z)
+
y
3
(1 + x)(1 + z)
+
z
3
(1 + x)(1 + y)

3
4
15. (IMO, 2001) Prove that for all real numbers a, b, c,
a

a
2
+ 8bc
+
b

b
2
+ 8ca
+
c

c
2
+ 8ab
1
References
1. Pham Kim Hung, Secrets in Inequalities (Volume 1), GIL Publishing House, 2007.
2. Samin Riasat, Basics of Olympiad Inequalities, 2008.
3. Radmila Bulajich Manfrino, Jose Antonio G omez Ortega, Rogelio Valcez Del-
gado, Desigualdades, Instituto de Matematicas, Universidad Nacional Aut onoma
de Mexico, 2005.
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OMPR 2011 H olders Inequality Olympiad Training Camp
2 Solutions
1. Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
(a)
a
2
b
+
b
2
c
+
c
2
a

(a + b + c)
3
3(ab + bc + ac)
Proof. By Holders Inequality, we have that
(1 + 1 + 1)(ab + bc + ac)
_
a
2
b
+
b
2
c
+
c
2
a
_
(a + b + c)
3
and the result follows.
(b)
1
a
+
1
b
+
1
c

_
27
ab + bc + ac
Proof. By Holders Inequality, we have that
(ab + bc + ac)
_
1
a
+
1
b
+
1
c
__
1
b
+
1
c
+
1
a
_
27
Moreover, this inequality is equivalent with
(ab + bc + ac)
_
1
a
+
1
b
+
1
c
_
2
27
_
1
a
+
1
b
+
1
c
_
2

27
ab + bc + ac
1
a
+
1
b
+
1
c

_
27
ab + bc + ac
which is what we wanted to prove, so we are done!
(c)
a
2
a + b
+
b
2
b + c
+
c
2
c + a

a + b + c
2
Proof. By Holders Inequality, we have that
((a + b) + (b + c) + (c + a))
_
a
2
a + b
+
b
2
b + c
+
c
2
c + a
_
(a + b + c)
2
from where it follows that
a
2
a + b
+
b
2
b + c
+
c
2
c + a

a + b + c
2
(d)
a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
a + b + c

_
abc(a + b + c)
ab + bc + ac
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OMPR 2011 H olders Inequality Olympiad Training Camp
Proof. Rearrange the inequality to its equivalent form
(ab + bc + ac)(a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
)
2
abc(a + b + c)
3
divide both sides by abc
_
1
a
+
1
b
+
1
c
_
(a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
)
2
(a + b + c)
3
and the result follows directly from H olders Inequality.
(e)
a
3
+ b
3
+ c
3
3 = a + b + c 3
Proof. Note that, by H olders Inequality, we have
27 (1 + 1 + 1)(1 + 1 + 1)(a
3
+ b
3
+ c
3
) (a + b + c)
3
from where its clear that
3 a + b + c
which is what we wanted to prove, so were done!
2. Let a, b and c be positive real numbers such that a + b + c = 1. Prove that
(a)
3

99
3

1 + 8a +
3

1 + 8b +
3

1 + 8c
Proof. Note that
99 = (1 + 1 + 1)(1 + 1 + 1)((1 + 8a) + (1 + 8b) + (1 + 8c))
and the result is evident.
(b) For a positive integer n:
n

ab + bc + ac a
n
_
b + c
2
+ b
n
_
a + c
2
+ c
n
_
a + b
2
Proof. Multiply both sides by
n

2 so that our inequality is equivalent to

2ab + 2bc + ac a
n

b + c + b
n

a + c + c
n

a + b
Then note that
2ab + 2bc + 2ac = (a(b + c) + b(a + c) + c(a + b))(a + b + c)
n1
and the result is evident!
3. Let a
1
, a
2
, , a
n
be positive real numbers. Prove that
(1 + a
1
)(1 + a
2
) (1 + a
n
) (1 +
n

a
1
a
2
a
n
)
n
Proof. It follows directly from H olders Inequality.
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OMPR 2011 H olders Inequality Olympiad Training Camp
4. Let a, b, c, x, y and z be positive real numbers. Prove that
a
3
x
+
b
3
y
+
c
3
z

(a + b + c)
3
3(x + y + z)
Proof. Multiply both sides by 3(x + y + z) and the result is evident!
5. Let a, b and c be positive real numbers such that a + b + c = 1. Prove that
1
a(3b + 1)
+
1
b(3c + 1)
+
1
c(3a + 1)

9
2
Proof. By Holders Inequality, we have
(a+b+c)((3b+1)+(3c+1)+(3a+1))
_
1
a(3b + 1)
+
1
b(3c + 1)
+
1
c(3a + 1)
_
(3)
3
Thus, we have
1
a(3b + 1)
+
1
b(3c + 1)
+
1
c(3a + 1)

27
(a + b + c)((3b + 1) + (3c + 1) + (3a + 1))
but since
(a + b + c)((3b + 1) + (3c + 1) + (3a + 1)) = (1)(6)
our inequality is equivalent to
1
a(3b + 1)
+
1
b(3c + 1)
+
1
c(3a + 1)

9
2
which is what we wanted to prove, so we are done!
6. Let a and b be positive real numbers such that a
2
+ b
2
= 1. Prove that
_
1
a
+
1
b
__
b
a
2
+ 1
+
a
b
2
+ 1
_

8
3
Proof. We start by multiplying both sides by 3
3
_
1
a
+
1
b
__
b
a
2
+ 1
+
a
b
2
+ 1
_
8
Then note that 3 = a
2
+ b
2
+ 1 + 1 and that the inequality is equivalent to
([a
2
+ 1] + [b
2
+ 1])
_
1
b
+
1
a
__
b
a
2
+ 1
+
a
b
2
+ 1
_

_
(a
2
+ 1)b
b(a
2
+ 1)
+
(b
2
+ 1)a
a(b
2
+ 1)
_
3
= 8
which is what we wanted to prove, so were done!
7. Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
a +

ab +
3

abc
3

3

a
_
a + b
2
_

_
a + b + c
3
_
8
OMPR 2011 H olders Inequality Olympiad Training Camp
Proof. This problem is all about being clever! Multiply both sides by 3 and the
inequality is equivalent with
a +

ab +
3

abc
3

(a + a + a)
_
a +
a + b
2
+ b
_
(a + b + c)
Then note that, by H olders Inequality, we have
3

(a + a + a)
_
a +
a + b
2
+ b
_
(a + b + c) a +
3

ab
_
a + b
2
_
+
3

abc
So it remains to prove that
3

ab
_
a + b
2
_

ab
which is equivalent to
a + b
2

ab
and since this last inequality follows from the AM-GM inequality, we are done!
8. (Vasile Cirtoaje) Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
a

a + 2b
+
b

b + 2c
+
c

c + 2a

a + b + c
Proof. As we have done before, we square the left hand side and multiply by the
corresponding terms. So that, by Holders Inequality, we have
_

cyc
a

a + 2b
_
2
_

cyc
a(a + 2b)
_
(a + b + c)
3
Thus, it is sucient to prove that
(a + b + c)
3

cyc
a(a + 2b)
a + b + c
which is clear since we have equality due to the fact that

cyc
a(a + 2b) = (a + b + c)
2
9. (Samin Riasat) Let a, b, c, m, n be positive real numbers. Prove that
a
2
b(ma + nb)
+
b
2
c(mb + nc)
+
c
2
a(mc + na)

3
m + n
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OMPR 2011 H olders Inequality Olympiad Training Camp
Proof. Note that

cyc
a
2
b(ma + nb)
=

cyc
a
3
ab(ma + nb)
and, by Holders Inequality,
_

cyc
ab
__

cyc
ma + nb
__

cyc
a
3
ab(ma + nb)
_
(a + b + c)
3
then, since

cyc
ab = ab + bc + ac and

cyc
ma + nb = (m + n)(a + b + c), the
inequality is equivalent to

cyc
a
3
ab(ma + nb)

(a + b + c)
3
(m + n)(a + b + c)(ab + bc + ac)
=
(a + b + c)
2
(m + n)(ab + bc + ac)

3
m + n
The last step follows from the well-known inequality (a + b + c)
2
3(ab + bc + ac)
(which is equivalent to (ab)
2
+(b c)
2
+(c a)
2
0) thus our original inequality
holds.
10. (Indonesia, 2010) Let a, b and c be non-negative real numbers and let x, y and z be
positive real numbers such that a + b + c = x + y + z. Prove that
a
3
x
2
+
b
3
y
2
+
c
3
z
2
a + b + c
Proof. By Holders Inequality it follows that
(x + y + z)(x + y + z)
_
a
3
x
2
+
b
3
y
2
+
c
3
z
2
_
(a + b + c)
3
Thus, we have that
a
3
x
2
+
b
3
y
2
+
c
3
z
2

(a + b + c)
3
(x + y + z)
2
= a + b + c
since a + b + c = x + y + z and were done!
11. (USAMO, 2004) For positive real numbers a, b and c. Prove that
(a
5
a
2
+ 3)(b
5
b
2
+ 3)(c
5
c
2
+ 3) (a + b + c)
3
Proof. We notice that this inequality seems rather similar. In the rst example we
proved that
(a
3
+ 2)(b
3
+ 2)(c
3
+ 2) (a + b + c)
3
so it suces to prove that
(a
5
a
2
+ 3)(b
5
b
2
+ 3)(c
5
c
2
+ 3) (a
3
+ 2)(b
3
+ 2)(c
3
+ 2)
Furthermore, if we can show that
x
5
x
2
+ 3 x
3
+ 2
then were done. Luckily for us, this is true! Since
x
5
x
2
+ 3 x
3
+ 2 (x
3
1)(x
2
1) 0
and so we are done.
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OMPR 2011 H olders Inequality Olympiad Training Camp
12. (Austria, 2005) Let a, b, c and d be positive real numbers. Prove that
1
a
3
+
1
b
3
+
1
c
3
+
1
d
3

a + b + c + d
abcd
Proof. Let w =
1
a
, x =
1
b
, y =
1
c
and z =
1
d
so that our inequality is equivalent with
w
3
+ x
3
+ y
3
+ z
3
xyz + wyz + wxz + wxy
Then note that, by H olders Inequality,
(w
3
+ x
3
+ y
3
+ z
3
)
3
=
_

cyc
x
3
__

cyc
y
3
__

cyc
z
3
_

cyc
xyz
_
3
and the result follows immediately.
13. (IMO Longlist, 1986) Let k be one of the integers 2, 3, 4 and let n = 2
k
1. Prove
the inequality
1 + b
k
+ b
2k
+ + b
nk
(1 + b
n
)
k
for all real b 0.
Proof. Note that
1 + b
k
+ b
2k
+ + b
nk
= (1 + b
k
)(1 + b
2k
)(1 + b
4k
) (1 + b
2
k1
k
)
Then, by Holders Inequality, we have
(1 + b
k
)(1 + b
2k
)(1 + b
4k
) (1 + b
2
k1
k
) (1 + b
2
k
1
)
k
= (1 + b
n
)
k
and were done! Note that this works for any k N.
14. (IMO Shortlist, 1998) Let x, y and z be positive real numbers such that xyz = 1.
Prove that
x
3
(1 + y)(1 + z)
+
y
3
(1 + z)(1 + x)
+
z
3
(1 + x)(1 + y)

3
4
Proof. By Holders Inequality, we know that
_

cyc
(1 + y)
__

cyc
(1 + z)
__

cyc
x
3
(1 + y)(1 + z)
_
(x + y + z)
3
Thus, it is sucient to prove that
(x + y + z)
3
(3 + x + y + z)
2

3
4
or
(2(x + y + z))
2
(x + y + z) 3(3 + x + y + z)
2
which follows from the fact that
x + y + z 3
3

xyz = 3
and
2(x + y + z) 3 + (x + y + z)
and so we are done!
11
OMPR 2011 H olders Inequality Olympiad Training Camp
15. (IMO, 2001) Prove that for all real numbers a, b, c,
a

a
2
+ 8bc
+
b

b
2
+ 8ca
+
c

c
2
+ 8ab
1
Proof. By Holders Inequality, we know that
_

cyc
a

a
2
+ 8bc
_
2
_

cyc
a(a
2
+ 8bc)
_
(a + b + c)
3
so it suces to show that
(a + b + c)
3
a
3
+ b
3
+ c
3
+ 24abc
or its equivalent form
a(b c)
2
+ b(c a)
2
+ c(a b)
2
0
which obviously holds true, thus our original inequality also holds true.
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