447 HOMEWORK SET 2

IAN FRANCIS

1
a+b
For any a, b ∈ R, such that a < b, show that a < 2 < b.

Solution From a < b, add b to both sides of the inequality to get a + b < 2b, then multi-
ply both sides by 12 (> 0) to get a+b
2 < b. Similarly, add a to both sides of a < b to get
a + a = 2a < a + b, then multiply both sides by 12 to get a < a+b
2 . These two statements
imply a < a+b
2 < b. ♦

2
Let a, b ∈ R and suppose that for every ε > 0, we have a ≤ b + ε. Show that a ≤ b.

Solution Assume that a > b, i.e. a − b > 0 and choose ε = a−b2 . Then, by the hypothesis,
a ≤ b + a−b
2 ⇔ a
2 ≤ b
2 ⇔ a ≤ b, a contradiction. Hence, a ≤ b. ♦

3
Prove that for any a, b ∈ R:
a + b 2 a2 + b2
( ) ≤
2 2
Show that equality holds if and only if a = b.

Solution Let a, b ∈ R. Then, by expanding the square, multiplying both sides by 4(> 0),
subtracting everything on the left side of the inequality from both sides, respectively, we get:
a + b 2 a2 + b2
( ) ≤
2 2
a2 + 2ab + b2 a2 + b2
⇔ ≤
4 2
⇔ a2 + 2ab + b2 ≤ 2a2 + 2b2
⇔ 0 ≤ a2 − 2ab + b2 = (a − b)2
Since any square of a real number is ≥ 0, and a−b ∈ R, we are done. From the last line, we see
that equality in the original statement holds if and only if 0 = (a−b)2 ⇔ 0 = a−b ⇔ a = b. ♦

Date: September 10, 2014.

1
2 IAN FRANCIS

4
(a) Suppose that 0 < c < 1. Show that 0 < c2 < c < 1. Show also that for all n ∈ N, cn ≤ c.

Solution We have c − 1 < 0, so we may multiply both sides by c > 0 to get c(c − 1) = c2 − c <
0 ⇔ c2 < c. Since c < 1, we may conclude 0 < c2 < c < 1.
Now, for the base case, we have c1 = c ≤ c. Now assume cn ≤ c for some n ∈ N. Then
we have cn − c ≤ 0, and using the induction hypothesis and the first result of this problem,
c(cn − c) = cn+1 − c2 ≤ 0 ⇔ cn+1 ≤ c2 ≤ c. Thus the statement holding for n ⇒ it holds for
n + 1, so by induction, it holds for all n ∈ N. ♦

(b) Suppose that c > 1. Show that c2 > c > 1. Show also that for all n ∈ N, cn ≥ c.

Solution c > 1 ⇔ c − 1 > 0. Multiplying both sides by c, which is positive, gives c(c − 1) =
c2 − c > 0 ⇔ c2 > c > 1.
Now, for the base case, we have c1 = c ≥ c. Now assume cn ≥ c for some n ∈ N. Then we
have cn − c ≥ 0 ⇔ c(cn − c) ≥ 0 ⇔ cn+1 − c2 ≥ 0 ⇔ cn+1 ≥ c2 ≥ c, using the induction
hypothesis and the first result of this problem. Thus the statement holding for n ⇒ it holds
for n + 1, so by induction, it holds for all n ∈ N. ♦

5
√
(a) Show that if a ∈ R, then |a| = a2 .
√
Solution If a = 0, |0| = 0 = 02 . If not, since we have |a| ≥ 0, and a2 ≥ 0 (since we used
√ √ 2
it to prove the AM-GM Inequality), |a| = a2 ⇔ |a|2 = a2 = a2 , which is true since
|a|2 = a2 , ∀a ∈ R. ♦

(b) If (i) a < x < b and a < y < b, show that |x − y| < b − a.

Solution a < y < b ⇔ −b < −y < −a (we multiplied by −1, which is negative). Adding
this inequality together with (i) gives a − b = −(b − a) < x − y < b − a, and by property of
absolute value gives |x − y| < b − a, since b − a > 0 by hypothesis. ♦

6
Find all x ∈ R such that |x| + |x + 1| < 2.

Solution By cases:
If x < −1, then |x| + |x + 1| = −x − (x + 1) = −2x − 1 < 2 ⇔ −2x < 3 ⇔ x > − 32 , (We
”flipped” the inequality since we multiplied both sides by − 21 < 0).
If −1 ≤ x < 0, then |x| + |x + 1| = −x + x + 1 = 1 < 2 ⇔ 0 < 1, a tautology.
If x ≥ 0, then |x| + |x + 1| = x + x + 1 = 2x + 1 < 2 ⇔ 2x < 1 ⇔ x < 21 .
Therefore our solution set is {x ∈ R : − 32 < x < 12 } ♦

7
16) Let ε > 0, δ > 0, and a ∈ R. Show that I := Vε (a) ∩ Vδ (a) and U := Vε (a) ∪ Vδ (a) are
γ−neighborhoods of a for appropriate values of γ.
 447 HOMEWORK SET 2 3

Proof If ε = δ, in both I, U simply take γ = δ, then the result is trivial.

WLOG, assume ε > δ. Then, x ∈ I ⇔ |x − a| < δ < ε, so let γ = δ. Also, x ∈ U ⇔ |x − a| < δ
or |x − a| < ε ⇔ |a − x| < ε, since ε > δ, so take γ = ε. Thus, we have appropriate values for
γ−nbhd’s. ♦

17) Show that if a, b ∈ R and a 6= b, then there exists ε−nbhd’s Uε (a), Vε (b) such that U ∩ V = φ.
a−b
Proof WLOG, assume that a > b, set ε = 2 , and assume ∃x ∈ U ∩ V . Then
a−b a−b
|x − a| < ; |x − b| = |b − x| <
2 2
b−a a−b b−a a−b
⇔ <x−a< ; <b−x<
2 2 2 2
⇔ b − a < b − a < a − b,
which is clearly a contradiction. (We deduced the third line in calculation by adding the two
inequalities from the second line.)Therefore, The intersection of these two ε−nbhd’s is φ. ♦

18a) Show that if a, b ∈ R, then max{a, b} = 21 (a + b + |a − b|) and min{a, b} = 12 (a + b − |a − b|).

Proof WLOG, assume a ≥ b, then 21 (a + b + |a − b|) = 12 (a + b + a − b) = 12 (2a) = a. Likewise,

1 1 1 1
2 (a + b − |a − b|) = 2 (a + b − (a − b)) = 2 (a + b − a + b) = 2 (2b) = b.

18b) min{a, b, c} = min{min{a, b}, c}

Proof Assume a ≥ b ≥ c. Then min{min{a, b}, c} = min{ 21 (a + b − |a − b|), c} = min{b, c} =

1 1
2 (b + c − |b − c|) = 2 (b + c − b + c) = c = min{a, b, c} ♦

19) Show that if a, b, c ∈ R, then the ”middle number” is mid{a, b, c} = min{max{a, b}, max{b, c}, max{a, c}}

Proof Once again, assume a ≥ b ≥ c. Then min{max{a, b}, max{b, c}, max{a, c}} =
min{a, b, a} = min{a, b} = b = mid{a, b, c} , by applying our previous results. ♦