We want that
1≤i<j≤2024∑(−1)i+jxi2xj≥−1012.
Now, observe that the LHS is
−(i=1∑1012x2i−12x2i)+i=1∑1012((x2i2−x2i−12)(j<i≤1012∑(x2j−x2j−1))).
But, x2i2≥x2i−12 and x2j≥x2j−1, thus we will be done if ∑i=11012x2i−12x2i≤1012. But,
3x2i−12x2i≤2x2i−13+x2i3≤3⋅2x2i−13+x2i3.
Thus, we just need ∑i=110122x2i−13+x2i3≤1012 but this is precisely the given condition so we are done!
Solution:
We use induction on k to show the following: given non-negative reals x1≤x2≤⋯≤x2k, we have
i=1∑2kxi3+21≤i<j≤2k∑(−1)i+jxi2xj≥0
with equality iff x2i−1=x2i. This suffices since x13+x23+⋯+x20243=2024.
Note that the left-hand side can be written as x2k3−2cx2k+d, where
c=x2k−12−x2k−22+⋯−x22+x12
and
d=i=1∑2k−1xi3+21≤i<j≤2k−1∑(−1)i+jxi2xj≥0
are independent of x2k. Consider the function f(x)=x3−2cx+d. Its derivative is 3x2−2c, and so f is increasing as long as x2≥2c/3. However,
c=x2k−12+(−x2k−22+x2k−32)+⋯+(−x22+x12)≤x2k−12,
so either c<0, in which case x2k−12≥0>2c/3, or c≥0, in which case x2k−12≥c≥2c/3.
Thus we must have
f(x2k)≥f(x2k−1)=i=1∑2k−2xi3+21≤i<j≤2k−2∑(−1)i+jxi2xj
and the rest follows by induction. □