Pure Mathematics – Inequalities 1 p.

Inequalities
Assignment 1 – Suggested Solution
1. (a)
x −6 ≤3
−3≤ x −6 ≤ 3
3≤ x ≤9
(x ≥ 3 or x ≤ −3)
and (− 9 ≤ x ≤ 9 )
∴ − 9 ≤ x ≤ −3 or 3 ≤ x ≤ 9

Case 1:
x ≥6
x −6≤3
x ≤9
−9 ≤ x ≤ 9
∴ − 9 ≤ x ≤ −6 or 6 ≤ x ≤ 9

Case 2:
x <6
− ( x − 6) ≤ 3
x ≥3
x ≥ 3 or x ≤ −3
∴ − 6 ≤ x ≤ −3 or 3 ≤ x ≤ 6
Thus, the required solution is − 9 ≤ x ≤ −3 or 3 ≤ x ≤ 9 .
(b) Putting x = 1 – 2y, we have
− 9 ≤ 1 − 2 y ≤ −3 or 3 ≤ 1 − 2 y ≤ 9
− 10 ≤ −2 y ≤ −4 or 2 ≤ −2 y ≤ 8
2 ≤ y ≤ 5 or − 4 ≤ y ≤ −1
∴ − 4 ≤ y ≤ −1 or 2 ≤ y ≤ 5

2. (a)(i) a + ak – (1 + ak+1) = a – 1 – ak+1 + ak

= a – 1 – ak(a – 1)
= (a – 1)(1 – ak)
⎧< 0 if 0 < a < 1
⎪
⎨= 0 if a = 1
⎪> 0 if a > 1
⎩
≤0
Thus, a + a ≤ 1 + a k +1 .
k
Pure Mathematics – Inequalities 1 p.2

(
a + a k − 1 + a k +1 )
= −a k +1 + a k + a − 1
= −a k (a − 1) + a − 1
(
= −(a − 1) a k − 1)
= −(a − 1)(a − 1)(a k −1
+ a k − 2 + a k −3 + L + 1 )
= −(a − 1) (a + a )
2 k −1 k −2
+ a k −3 + L + 1
≤0
Thus, a + a k ≤ 1 + a k +1 .
(ii) ∵ 1 + a = 1 + a
∴ The statement is true for n = 1.

Assume that (1 + a ) ≤ 2 k −1 1 + a k
k
( ) for some positive integer k.

Then, we have
(1 + a )k +1
( )
≤ 2 k −1 1 + a k (1 + a ) (by induction assumption )
= 2 k −1 (1 + a + a k
+ a k +1 )
≤ 2 k −1 (1 + 1 + a k +1
+ a k +1 ) (by(a)(i))
= 2k (1 + a )k +1

Thus, by induction, (1 + a ) ≤ 2 n −1 1 + a n
n
( ) for any positive integer n.

y y
(b) Note that > 0 . Putting a = in (a)(ii), we have
x x

⎛ y⎞
n
⎛ ⎛ y ⎞n ⎞
n −1 ⎜
⎜ + ⎟ ≤ 1+ ⎟
⎜ ⎜⎝ x ⎟⎠ ⎟
1 2
⎝ x⎠ ⎝ ⎠
(x + y )n ≤ 2 n−1 (x n + y n )
⎛x+ y⎞ xn + yn
n

⎜ ⎟ ≤
⎝ 2 ⎠ 2

3. (a) Note that tn – 1 = (t – 1)(tn-1 + tn-2 + … + t + 1).

Case 1: 0 < t < 1
Under this case, we have t – 1 < 0 and 0 < tn-1 + tn-2 + … + t + 1< n.
So we have (t – 1)( tn-1 + tn-2 + … + t + 1) > n(t – 1).
Therefore, we have tn – 1 > n(t – 1).
Case 2: t = 1
Under this case, we have tn – 1 = n(t – 1).
Pure Mathematics – Inequalities 1 p.3

Case 3: t > 1
Under this case, we have t – 1 > 0 and tn-1 + tn-2 + … + t + 1 > n.
So we have (t – 1)( tn-1 + tn-2 + … + t + 1) > n(t – 1).
Therefore, we have tn – 1 > n(t – 1).
Thus, by combining the three cases, we have tn – 1 > n(t – 1) for all t > 0.
Since t – 1 = t – 1, the result is true when n = 1.
When n ≥ 2, let f(t) = tn – nt for all t > 0.
Then, we have
f’(t) = ntn-1 – n
= n(tn-1 – 1)

⎧< 0 if 0 < t <1

⎪
⎨= 0 if t =1
⎪> 0 if t >1
⎩

So, f(t) attains its greatest value when t = 1. Therefore,

f(t) ≥ f(1) for all t > 0
tn – nt ≥ 1 – n for all t > 0
tn – 1 ≥ n(t – 1) for all t > 0
(b) (i) By (a)
3
⎛ 3 abc ⎞ ⎛3 abc ⎞
⎜ ⎟ − 1 ≥ 3⎜ − 1⎟⎟
⎜ ab ⎟ ⎜
⎝ ⎠ ⎝ ab ⎠
c ⎛3 abc ⎞
− 1 ≥ 3⎜⎜ ⎟−3
ab ⎝ ab ⎟⎠
c ≥ 33 abc − 2 ab
⎛a+b+c⎞ ⎛a+b⎞ 3
3⎜ ⎟ − 2⎜ ⎟ ≥ 3 abc − 2 ab
⎝ 3 ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎠
⎛a+b+c⎞ 3 ⎛a+b⎞
3⎜ ⎟ − 3 abc ≥ 2⎜ ⎟ − 2 ab
⎝ 3 ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎠
a+b+c 3 2⎛a+b ⎞
− abc ≥ ⎜ − ab ⎟
3 3⎝ 2 ⎠
Gk +1
(ii) By (a), putting n = k + 1 and t = ,
Gk
k +1
⎛ Gk +1 ⎞ ⎛G ⎞
⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ − 1 ≥ (k + 1)⎜⎜ k +1 − 1⎟⎟
⎝ G k ⎠ ⎝ Gk ⎠
y k +1 ⎛G ⎞
− 1 ≥ (k + 1)⎜⎜ k +1 − 1⎟⎟
Gk ⎝ Gk ⎠
y k +1 ≥ (k + 1)Gk +1 − kGk
Pure Mathematics – Inequalities 1 p.4

(iii) Since x1 = x1, the statement is true when n = 1.

Assume that there exists a positive integer k such that
x1 + x 2 + L + x k k
≥ x1 x 2 L x k for any k positive real numbers x1,
k
x2, …, xk.
Then, for any k + 1 positive real numbers y1, y2, …, yk+1, define
y1 + y 2 + L + y l
Al = and Gl = l y1 y 2 L y l for l = k, k + 1.
l
Note that yk+1 = (k + 1)Ak+1 – kAk.
By (b)(ii), we have
(k + 1)Ak +1 − kAk ≥ (k + 1)Gk +1 − kGk
(k + 1)( Ak +1 − Gk +1 ) ≥ k ( Ak − Gk )
Ak +1 − Gk +1 ≥
k
( Ak − Gk )
k +1
By putting xi = yi (1 ≤ i ≤ k) in the induction assumption, we have
Ak ≥ Gk.
Therefore, we have Ak+1 ≥ Gk+1 if Ak ≥ Gk.
So the statements is true for n = k + 1 if the statement is true for n = k.
Thus, by mathematical induction, the statement is true for all positive
integers n.

4. (a) Since a ≥ 0, b ≥ 0, n ≥ 2

(a + b )n = a n + C1n a n −1b + C 2n a n − 2 b 2 + L + C nn b n ≥ a n + na n −1b

The equality holds

if and only if C 2n a n − 2 b 2 = C 3n a n −3b 3 = L = C nn b n = 0

if and only if b = 0.
(b) (i)
Ak +1 − Ak
a1 + a 2 + a3 + L + a k +1 a1 + a 2 + a3 + L + a k
= −
k +1 k
ka k +1 − (a1 + a 2 + a3 + L + a k )
=
k (k + 1)
(a − a1 ) + (a k +1 − a 2 ) + (a k +1 − a3 ) + L + (a k +1 − a k )
= k +1 ≥0
k (k + 1)
Thus, Ak+1 ≥ Ak for all k = 1, 2, 3, ….
Pure Mathematics – Inequalities 1 p.5

Ak +1
kAk + a k +1
=
k +1
a − Ak
= Ak + k +1
k +1
a − ak
≥ Ak + k +1 (Q Ak ≤ a k )
k +1
a − a k +1
≥ Ak + k +1 (Q a k ≤ a k +1 )
k +1
= Ak for all k = 1, 2, 3, K.

(ii) By (b)(i), Ak+1 - Ak ≥ 0

Note that Ak > 0 and Gk > 0 for all k ∈ N.
k +1
Ak +1
= ( Ak + ( Ak +1 − Ak ))
k +1

+ (k + 1)Ak ( Ak +1 − Ak )
k +1
≥ Ak
k

= Ak ( Ak + (k + 1)( Ak +1 − Ak ))
k

= Ak
k
((k + 1)Ak +1 − kAk )
= Ak ak +1
k

Thus, Ak+1k+1 ≥ Akkak+1 for all k = 1, 2, 3, ….

An = Gn if and only if a1 = a2 = a3 = … = an for all n = 1, 2, 3, ….

When n = 1, A1 = a1 = G1.
Therefore, the latter result is true for n = 1.
Assume that Ak ≥ Gk and Ak ≥ Gk if and only if a1 = a2 = a3 = … = ak,
where k is a positive integer.
Then, we have
k +1
≥ Ak a k +1
k
Ak +1
= Gk a k +1
k

= a1 a 2 a 3 L a k +1
k +1
= Gk +1

Therefore, Ak+1 ≥ Gk+1.

Moreover, if a1 = a2 = a3 = … = ak+1, then
a1 + a 2 + L + a k +1
Ak +1 = = a1 and Gk +1 = k +1 a1 a 2 L a k +1 = a1
k +1
∴ Ak+1 = Gk+1.
Pure Mathematics – Inequalities 1 p.6

Furthermore, if Ak+1 = Gk+1, then

( Ak + ( Ak +1 − Ak ))k +1 = Ak k +1 + (k + 1)Ak k ( Ak +1 − Ak ) and Ak ≥ Gk.

∴ Ak+1 – Ak = 0 (by (a)) and a1 = a2 = a3 = … = ak (by induction

assumption)
a1 + a 2 + L + a k +1 a1 + a 2 + L + a k
∴ = and a1 = a2 = a3 = … = ak
k +1 k
∴ a1 = a2 = a3 = … = ak = ak+1
∴ Ak+1 = Gk+1 if and only if a1 = a2 = a3 = … = ak+1.
Thus, by mathematical induction, the latter result is true for all n = 1, 2,
3, ….
n +1
(c) Put a1 = 1, a2 = a3 = a4 = … = an = an+1 = .
n
Since a1 < a2 = a3 = a4 = … = an = an+1
⎛ n + 1⎞ 1
1 + n⎜ ⎟ ⎛
⎝ n ⎠ > ⎜ (1)⎛ n + 1 ⎞ ⎞⎟
n n +1

n +1 ⎜ ⎜⎝ n ⎟⎠ ⎟
⎝ ⎠
n
n + 2 ⎛ n + 1 ⎞ n +1
>⎜ ⎟
n +1 ⎝ n ⎠

n
1 ⎛ 1 ⎞ n +1
Therefore, 1 + > ⎜1 + ⎟
n +1 ⎝ n ⎠

n +1 n
⎛ 1 ⎞ ⎛ 1⎞
Thus, ⎜1 + ⎟ > ⎜1 + ⎟ .
⎝ n +1⎠ ⎝ n⎠