Bernoullis inequality (for integer cases)

(1 + x)
n
1 + nx (1)
with conditions:
(a) (1) is true nN {0} and x R, x -1.
(b) (1) is true n2N and x R.

The strict inequality: (1 + x)
n
> 1 + nx (2)
is true for every integer n 2 and every real number x -1 with x 0.
(The strict inequality is not discussed in the following.)

Proof 1 Use Mathematical Induction
Condition (a)
Let P(n) be the proposition: (1 + x)
n
1 + nx nN {0} and x R, x -1.
For P(0), (1 + x)
0
= 1 1 + 0x P(0) is true.
Assume P(k) is true for some kZ, k 0,
that is, (1 + x)
k
1 + kx kN {0} and x R, x -1. (3)

For P(k+1), (1 + x)
k+1
= (1 + x)
k
(1 + x)
(1 + kx) (1 + x) , by (3) and also note that since x -1, the factor (x + 1) 0.
= 1 + (k + 1) x + kx
2
1 + (k + 1) x
P(k+1) is also true.
By the Principle of Mathematical Induction, P(n) is true nN {0} and x R, x -1.

Condition (b)
Let P(n) be the proposition: (1 + x)
n
1 + nx n2N and x R.
For P(0), (1 + x)
0
= 1 1 + 0x P(0) is true.
For P(2), (1 + x)
2
= 1 + 2x + x
2
1 + 2x, since x
2
0, x R.
P(2) is true.

Assume P(k) is true for some kZ, k 0,
that is, (1 + x)
k
1 + kx kN {0} and x R, x -1. (4)

For P(k + 2),
(1 + x)
k+2
= (1 + x)
k
(1 + x)
2
(1 + kx)(1 + 2x), by (4) and P(2).
= 1 + (k + 2) x + 2kx
2
1 + (k + 2) x, since k > 0 and x
2
0, x R.
P(k + 2) is also true.
By the Principle of Mathematical Induction, P(n) is true n2N and x R.
Condition (a) is discussed only in the following.
1
Proof 2 Use A.M. G.M.
Consider the A.M. and G.M. of n positive numbers (1 + nx), 1, 1, .,1 [with (n-1) 1s]

n
1 .... 1 . 1 ). nx 1 (
n
1 .... 1 1 ) nx 1 (
+
+ + + + +


n
) nx 1 (
n
nx n
+
+

(1 + x)
n
1 + nx (1)

Note : Numbers should be positive before applying A.M. G.M. theorem.
In the numbers used in A.M.-G.M. above, 1 > 0 and 1 + nx 0, i.e.
n
1
x .
However, if 1 + nx < 0, since it is given that x -1, or x + 1 0,
L.H.S. of (1) = (1 + x)
n
0
R.H.S. of (1) = 1 + nx < 0
(1 + x)
n
0 > 1 + nx, which is always true.
x -1 and not
n
1
x can ensure (1) is correct.
Proof 3 Use Binomial Theorem
(a) For x > 0, 1 + nx (5)
n 4 3 2 n
x
n
n
.... x
4
n
x
3
n
x
2
n
nx 1 ) x 1 (

+ +

+ + = +
(b) For x = 0, obviously (1 + x)
n
1 + nx is true.
(c) For -1 < x < 0, (The proof below is not very rigorous.)
Put y = -x, then 0 < y < 1,
(6)
n n 4 3 2 n
y
n
n
) 1 ( .... y
4
n
y
3
n
y
2
n
ny 1 ) y 1 (

+ =
Put y = 0, we have:

+ = =
n
n
) 1 ( ....
4
n
3
n
2
n
n 1 ) 1 1 ( 0
n n
(7) 0 1 n
n
n
) 1 ( ....
4
n
3
n
2
n
n
> =

Now 0 < y < 1 , y
2
> y
3
> > y
n

Therefore in (7), each term is multiplied by a factor that is smaller than the term before,
(8) 0 y
n
n
) 1 ( .... y
4
n
y
3
n
y
2
n
n n 4 3 2

From (6),
(1 y)
n
1 ny for 0 < y < 1.
or (1 + x)
n
1 + nx for -1 < x < 0.
2
Extension of Bernoullis inequality
Given x > -1, then
(a) (1 + x)
r
1 + rx for 0 < r < 1 (9)
(b) (1 + x)
r
1 + rx for r < 0 or r > 1 (10)

Firstly we give the proof that r is a rational number first.

Proof 4 Use A.M. G.M.
Since r Q, r =
q
p

(a) Let 0 < r < 1, p < q, q p > 0. Also 1 + x > 0,
(1 + x)
r
= ( )
q
) p q ( 1 ) x 1 ( p
1 ) x 1 ( x 1
q p q p q p
+ +
+ = +

(G.M. A.M.)
rx 1 x
q
p
1
q
q px
+ = + =
+
=
(b) Let r > 1,
(i) If 1 + rx 0, then (1 + x)
r
> 0 1 + rx.
(ii) If 1 + rx > 0, rx > -1.
Since r > 1, we have 1
r
1
0 < < . By (a) we get: ( ) x 1 rx
r
1
1 rx 1
r 1
+ = + +
(1 + x)
r
1 + rx.

Let r < 0, then - r > 0.
Choose a natural number n sufficiently large such that 0 < -r/n < 1 and 1 > rx/n > -1.
By (a), ( ) 0 x
n
r
1 x 1 0
n r
> + + <

.
Since
x
n
r
1 x
n
r
1 x
n
r
1 x
n
r
1 x
n
r
1 1
1 2
+

(11)
Hence by (11),
( ) rx 1 x
n
r
n 1 x
n
r
1 x 1
n
r
+ =

+ + .
Again, equality holds if and only if x = 0.

Note : If r is irrational, we choose an infinite sequence of rational numbers r
1
, r
2
, r
3
, .,
such that r
n
tends to r as n tends to infinity. For part (a), we can extend to irrational r:
. rx 1 ) x r 1 ( lim ) x 1 ( lim ) x 1 (
n
n
r
n
r
n
+ = + + = +

Similar argument for part (b) completes the proof for the case where r R.


3
Proof 5 Use analysis

Let f(x) = (1 + x)
r
1 rx where x > 1 and r R\ {0, 1} (12)

Then f(x) is differentiable and its derivative is:
f (x) = r(1 + x)
r-1
r = r [(1 + x)
r-1
1] (13)
from (13) we can get f (x) = 0 x = 0.

(a) If 0 < r < 1, then f (x) > 0 x (1, 0) and f (x) < 0 x (0, +).
x = 0 is a global maximum point of f.
f(x) < f(0) = 0.
(1 + x)
r
1 + rx for 0 < r < 1.

(b) If r < 0 or r > 1, then f (x) < 0 x (-1, 0) and f (x) > 0 x (0, +).
x = 0 is a global minimum point of f.
f(x) > f(0) = 0.
(1 + x)
r
1 + rx for r < 0 or r > 1.

Finally, please check that the equality holds for x = 0 or for r {0, 1}. The proof is complete.

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