INEQUALITIES

1. State and prove weierstrass inequality.

2. State and prove Cauchy inequality.

3. Prove that A.M. > G.M.

4. Prove that a) 1.3.5........... 2n  1  n n

b) 2 n n!  2.4.6......................2n  ( n  1) n

5. If n be a positive integer greater than 2, show that 2 n  n 2 n 1

6. If a, b, c are unequal and positive quantities then

bc ca ab 1
    a  b  c
bc ca ab 2

7. If x, y , z are unequal and positive quantities then show that

x yz 3
( )  ( x  y  z )( z  x  y )( y  z  x )
3

8. If x, y , z are all positive numbers, then show that

x y2
y z
2
z2  x2
2 2
  x y z
x y yz zx

9. If a,b,c are all positive numbers, then show that

b4  c4 c4  a4 a4  b4
 2 2  2 2  a2  b2  c2
b c c a a b
2 2

10. If a, b, c are positive quantities then 2


2

2

9
ab bc ca abc

INEQUALITIES
Definition: Any quantity a is said to be greater than another quantity b
when a-b is positive and is written a>b. Similarly, Any quantity a is said to
be less than another quantity b when a-b is negative and is written a<b.
The statements a>b and a<b are called inequalities.

Weierstrass inequalities: If u1,u2,u3,………………..,un be positive then

i) (1+u1) (1+u2) …………….(1+un) > (1+u1+u2+……….+un).

ii) If u1,u2,u3,………………..,un be all positive and each less than 1,

then
(1-u1) (1-u2) …………….(1-un) > (1-u1-u2-……….-un).

iii) (1+u1) (1+u2) …………….(1+un) < 1/ (1-u1-u2-……….-un).

when∑ur<1

iv) (1-u1) (1-u2) …………….(1-un) <1/ (1+u1+u2+……….+un).

Proof: i) (1+u1) (1+u2)=1+u1+u2+u1u2>1+u1+u2

Again (1+u1) (1+u2) (1+u3)>1+u1+u2+u3

And so on.

Hence (1+u1) (1+u2) …………….(1+un) > (1+u1+u2+……….+un).

Or ∏(1+ur) >1+∑ur .

ii) (1-u1) (1-u2)>1-u1-u2+u1u2>1-u1-u2

Again (1-u1) (1-u2) (1-u3)>1-u1-u2-u3

And so on.

Hence (1-u1) (1-u2) …………….(1-un) > (1-u1-u2-……….-un).

Or ∏(1-ur) >1-∑ur .
iii) Consider (1+u1)(1-u1)=1-u12<1
 (1+u1)<1/(1-u1)

similarly (1+u2)<1/(1-u2)

1+un)<1/(1-un)

Multiplying all these inequalities,we get

(1+u1) (1+u2) …………….(1+un) < 1/ (1-u1)(1-u2)……….(1-un)……..(A)

But we know (1-u1) (1-u2) …………….(1-un) > (1-u1-u2-……….-un).

Or 1/(1-u1) (1-u2) …………….(1-un) <1/ (1-u1-u2-……….-un)………..(B)

Combining (A) and (B) we get

(1+u1) (1+u2) …………….(1+un) < 1/(1-u1-u2-……….-un) .

iv) Consider (1+u1)(1-u1)=1-u12<1

(1-u1)<1/(1+u1)

similarly (1-u2)<1/(1+u2)

1-un)<1/(1+un)

Multiplying all these inequalities,we get

(1-u1) (1-u2) …………….(1-un) < 1/ (1+u1)(1+u2)……….(1+un)……..(A)

But we know (1+u1) (1+u2) …………….(1+un) > (1+u1+u2+……….+un).

Or
1/(1+u1) (1+u2) …………….(1+un) <(1+u1+u2+……….+un)………..(B)

Combining (A) and (B) we get

(1-u1) (1-u2) …………….(1-un) < 1/(1+u1+u2+……….+un) .

(Proved)
# State and prove Cauchy inequality.

Statement: If a , a , a ................a and

1 2 3 n b1 , b2 , b3 ................bn are any
two sets of real numbers then
2 2 2 2
( a1  a 2  a3  .......... ......  a n )
2 2 2 2
(b1  b2  b3  ................  bn )  (a1b1  a 2 b2  ..............  a n bn ) 2
a1 a 2 a
The sign of equality holds only when   .............  n
b1 b2 bn
Proof: Let A= a12  a 2 2  a3 2  ................  an 2
B= a b  a b  ..............  a b
1 1 2 2 n n

C= b12  b2 2  b32  ................  bn 2

Then for all values of x, we have

(a1  xb1 ) 2  (a 2  xb2 ) 2  ..............  (a n  xbn ) 2

= (a1 2  a 2 2  a3 2  ................  a n 2 )  2 x(a b 1 1  a 2 b2  ..............  a n bn ) +
2 2 2 2
x 2 (b1  b2  b3  ................  bn )
= A  2 xB  Cx 2  0 , since the left hand side is the sum of squares.

If Cx 2  2 Bx  A  0 , all the terms or the left hand side must be

individually equal to zero and therefore a1  xb1 =0, a2  xb2 =0,
…………………, a  xb  0 n n

a1 a 2 a
i.e   .............  n   x .
b1 b2 bn
Now the roots of the quadratic equation A  2 xB  Cx 2  0 will be equal
if its discriminant is equal to zero.
i.e (2 B)  4CA  0 or B 2  AC
2

(a1b1  a 2 b2  ..............  a n bn ) 2  ( a1 2  a 2 2  a3 2  .......... ......  a n 2 )

2 2 2 2
(b1  b2  b3  ................  bn )
Again the expression
B A
Cx 2  2 Bx  A  C ( x  2 x )
2

C C
B B B2 A
 C{( x) 2  2.x  ( ) 2  2  )}
C C C C
B AC  B 2
 C{( x  ) 2  }
C C2
 B 2 AC  B 2
 C(x 
) 
C C
Which is positive if AC  B 2 >0 i.e AC  B 2

Thus Cx 2  2 Bx  A  0 if AC  B 2

Therefore 2 2 2
( a1  a 2  a3  .......... ......  a n )
2

2 2 2 2
(b1  b2  b3  ................  bn )  (a1b1  a 2 b2  ..............  a n bn ) 2

n n n
i.e( a r )( br )  ( a r br ) 2 .(Proved)
2 2

r 1 r 1 r 1

Theorem:

The arithmetic mean of two unequal positive quantities is greater

than their geometric mean.
i.e A.M>G.M
Proof: We know that the square of every real quantity is positive
and so greater than zero.
( a  b) 2  0

Or, a 2  2ab  b 2  0
Or, a 2  b 2  2ab
a2  b2
Or, 2
 ab

Let a2  x a  x
b2  y b  y

x y 1
  xy  ( xy ) 2
2
Hence A.M>G.M (Proved)

N.B.
a1  a 2  .............  a n
Arithmetic Mean:
n
The arithmetic mean of any n positive quantities is the nth part of their
sum.
 1
Geometric Mean: ( a1 a 2 ................a n ) n
The geometric mean of any n positive quantities is the nth root of
their product.

# Prove that i) 1.3.5........... 2n  1  n n

Proof: We know that A.M>G.M

1  3  5  ...................(2n  1) 1
  {1.3.5.....................(2n  1)} n
n
Or, n2
 {1.3.5........... 2n  1} n
1

n2 n
Or, ( )  1.3.5........... 2n  1
n

n n  1.3.5........... 2n  1
Or,

1.3.5........... 2n  1  n n

2 n n!  2.4.6......................2n  ( n  1) n
#Prove that
Prove:
We know that A.M>G.M

2  4  6  ...................  2n 1
  {2.4.6.....................2n} n
n
2(1  2  3  ...................  n) 1
Or,  n
 {2 n (1.2.3.....................n} n
 2n( n  1) 1
Or, 
2n
 2(n!} n

1
Or, n  1  2(n!) n

 ( n  1) n  2 n n! (Proved)

#If n be a positive integer greater than 2, show that 2 n  n 2 n 1

Proof:
We know that A.M>G.M

1  2  2 2  ...............  2 n 1 1
 (1.2.2 2..................2 n 1 ) n
n

2n  1 1
Or 1.  {21 2  3.......... .......... .......( n 1) } n
( 2  1) n

( n 1) n
2n  1 1
Or,  {2 2
} n
n

n 1
2n  1
Or, 2 2
n

Or, 2 n  1  n 2 n 1

 2 n  1  n 2 n 1 (Proved).
# If a, b, c are unequal and positive quantities then
bc ca ab 1
    a  b  c
bc ca ab 2

Proof:

We know that A.M>G.M

bc
 bc
2
or , b  c  2 bc
or , (b  c) 2  4bc
bc bc
or , 
4 bc
bc bc
or ,  ................(i )
bc 4

ca ca
Similarly  ................(ii )
ca 4

ab ab
 ................(iii )
ab 4

Adding (i),(ii) and (iii),we get

bc ca ab 1 2(a  b  c) 1
    b  c  c  a  a  b   ( a  b  c)
bc ca ab 4 4 2 (Proved.)

# If x, y , z are unequal and positive quantities then show that

x yz 3
( )  ( x  y  z )( z  x  y )( y  z  x )
3

Proof:

We know that A.M>G.M

( x  y  z )  ( z  x  y )  ( y  z  x) 1
 {( x  y  z )( z  x  y )( y  z  x)} 3
3
Or, x  y  z  {( x  y  z )( z  x  y )( y  z  x)} 13
3
Or, x  y  z
( ) 3  ( x  y  z )( z  x  y )( y  z  x )
3
 ( x  y  z ) 3  27( x  y  z )( z  x  y )( y  z  x)

Art: If a and b are positive and unequal quantities then

am  bm ab m
( )
2 2
except when m lies between 0 and 1.

# If x, y , z are all positive numbers, then show that

x y
2
y  z2 z2  x2
2 2
  x y z
x y yz zx

am  bm ab m
Proof: We know that ( )
2 2

x2  y2 x y 2
 ( )
2 2
x2  y2 x y
 ..................(i )
Or, x y 2
y2  z2 yz
Similarly  ..................(ii )
yz 2

z2  x2 zx
 ..................(iii )
zx 2

Adding (i),(ii) and (iii),we get

 x2  y2 y2  z2 z2  x2 x  y y  z z  x
    
x y yz zx 2 2 2

Or, x  y  y  z  z  x  x  y  z
2 2 2 2 2 2

x y yz zx
(Proved).
# If a,b,c are all positive numbers, then show that
b4  c4 c4  a4 a4  b4
   a2  b2  c2
b2  c2 c2  a2 a2  b2

Proof:
am  bm ab m
We know that ( )
2 2

b 4  c 4 (b 2 ) 2  (c 2 ) 2 b2  c2 2
  ( )
2 2 2
b4  c4 b2  c2
 ...................(i )
Or, b 2  c 2 2
c4  a4 c2  a2
Similarly 2  ...................(ii )
c  a2 2

a4  b4 a2  b2
 ...................(iii )
a2  b2 2

Adding (i),(ii) and (iii),we get

b4  c4 c4  a4 a4  b4
 2 2  2 2  a2  b2  c2
b c c a a b
2 2
(Proved).

#If a, b, c are positive quantities then 2


2

2

9
ab bc ca abc

Proof:
 am  bm  cm abc m
We know that ( )
3 3
1
(a  b)  (b  c) 1  (c  a) 1 a  b  b  c  c  a 1
or ( )
3 3
1 1 1
 
2(a  b  c 1
or a  b b  c c  a  { }
3 3
1 1 1 3
or ,    3.
ab bc ca 2( a  b  c)
2 2 2 9
or ,    .
a  b b  c c  a (a  b  c)
(proved)