a. the largest real number cn such that 1+a11+1+a21+…+1+an1≥cn for every choice of positive real numbers a1,a2,…,an such that a1⋅a2⋅…⋅an=1;
b. the largest real number dn such that 1+2a11+1+2a21+…+1+2an1≥dn for every choice of positive real numbers a1,a2,…,an such that a1⋅a2⋅…⋅an=1.
Solution
Solution:
(a) cn=1 for every n≥2. Let us first show that for every n≥2 one has 1+a11+1+a21+…+1+an1≥1 For n=2, setting a1=a we have a2=a1 and the expression on the left-hand side of the inequality reduces to 1+a1+1+a11=1+a1+1+aa=1 Now suppose n>2. The product of the two smallest among a1,…,an is certainly less than or equal to 1, otherwise at least one of them would be greater than 1 and hence the product a1a2⋯an would be greater than 1. Without loss of generality, we may assume that a1a2≤1. Let x=a1a21. Then x≥1 and (a1x)(a2x)=1. We have 1+a11+1+a21+…+1+an1>1+a11+1+a21≥1+a1x1+1+a2x1=1 Let us now show that 1 is the largest real number that can be placed on the right-hand side of the inequality, that is, that if c>1 the inequality fails for some choice of a1,…,an. Set a1=a2=⋯=an−1=y, where y is any positive real number such that y+1>c−1n−1, and an=y−(n−1). We have, for i=1,…,n−1, 1+ai1=1+y1<n−1c−1 and hence (1+a11+1+a21+…+1+an−11)+1+an1<(n−1)n−1c−1+1=c.
(b) One has d2=32 and dn=1 for every n≥3. Let us begin with the case n=2. Setting s=a1+a2 and taking into account that a1a2=1, the term on the left-hand side of the inequality becomes 5+2s2+2s=1−5+2s3 This term attains its minimum value when s is minimal. Since a2=a11, we have s=a1+a11 is greater than or equal to 2, and it equals 2 if and only if a1=1. Hence the best possible inequality is obtained for s=2, giving the value d2=32. The rest of the proof is analogous to the previous case. Let us first show that dn≥1 for every n≥3. For n=3, the inequality 1+2a11+1+2a21+1+2a31≥1 is equivalent to 3+4(a1+a2+a3)+4(a1a2+a2a3+a3a1)≥1+2(a1+a2+a3)+4(a1a2+a2a3+a3a1)+8a1a2a3, that is, a1+a2+a3≥28−2=3 which holds by the well-known inequality between arithmetic mean and geometric mean. Now suppose n>3. As before, we may assume that a1a2a3≤1 and define x=a1a2a31. We have (a1x)(a2x)(a3x)=1 and hence 1+2a11+1+2a21+1+2a31+…+1+2an1>1+2a11+1+2a21+1+2a31≥1+2a1x1+1+2a2x1+1+2a3x1≥1. Finally, if d is any number greater than 1, set a1=a2=⋯=an−1=z where z is any positive real number such that 2z+1>n−1d−1, and an=z−(n−1). We have (1+2a11+1+2a21+…+1+2an−11)+1+2an1<(n−1)n−1d−1+1=d .
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