Firstly, we will prove one useful statement:
Lemma. If x1,x2,…,xn−1∈R are such that x1+x2+⋯+xn−1=0, then
x1+∣x1−x2∣+∣x2−x3∣+⋯+∣xn−2−xn−1∣+xn−1≥0
(1)
Proof. It is clear that if x1+xn−1≥0 the inequality (1) is true.
If x1+xn−1<0, then there exists i, 2≤i≤n−2 such that xi>0. From the properties of absolute value we have
∣x1−x2∣+∣x2−x3∣+⋯+∣xn−2−xn−1∣≥∣x1−xi∣+∣xi−xn−1∣=∣xi−x1∣+∣xi−xn−1∣≥xi−x1+xi−xn−1=2xi−x1−xn−1≥≥−x1−xn−1
From where (1) follows.
Since there are no other cases, we get that (1) is true, which concludes the proof of the lemma.
If we now use the equality ∣a−b∣=a+b−2min{a,b}, the inequality (1) is equivalent to the inequality
x1+x1+x2−2min{x1,x2}+x2+x3−2min{x2,x3}+⋯+xn−2+xn−1−2min{xn−2,xn−1}+xn−1≥0x1+x2+⋯+xn−1≥min{x1,x2}+min{x2,x3}+⋯+min{xn−2,xn−1}0≥min{x1,x2}+min{x2,x3}+⋯+min{xn−2,xn−1}.(2)
Now, let x1,x2,…,xn−1∈R be arbitrary real numbers (their sum need not be equal to 0). If we homogenize this sequence,
x1−n−11i=1∑n−1xi,x2−n−11i=1∑n−1xi,…,xn−1−n−11i=1∑n−1xi,
then we have
x1−n−11i=1∑n−1xi+x2−n−11i=1∑n−1xi+⋯+xn−1−n−11i=1∑n−1xi=i=1∑n−1xi−n−1n−1i=1∑n−1xi=0.
Therefore, for this sequence the conditions of the lemma as well as inequality (2) are fulfilled.
If we use the equality
min{xj−n−11i=1∑n−1xi,xj+1−n−11i=1∑n−1xi}=min{xj,xj+1}−n−11i=1∑n−1xi,
and we substitute it in (2), we get the inequality
n−1n−2i=1∑n−1xi≥min{x1,x2}+min{x2,x3}+⋯+min{xn−2,xn−1}(3)
Now we return to the proof of the problem statement. Without loss of generality we can assume
that an=min{a1,a2,…,an−1,an}. If, otherwise, ai=min{a1,a2,…,an−i−1,an} for some i, 1≤i≤n−1
then we consider the sequence b1=ai+1,…,bn−i=an,bn−i+1=ai−1,…,bn=ai.
Therefore, if we choose xi=ai, for i=1,2,…,n−1, by substituting in (3), we get
n−1n−2i=1∑n−1ai≥min{a1,a2}+min{a2,a3}+⋯+min{an−2,an−1}. But from the condition a1+a2+⋯+an−1=−an, we get
n−1n−2an≥min{a1,a2}+min{a2,a3}+⋯+min{an−2,an−1}.
From the equalities $a_n = \min\{a_{n-1}, a_n\}$ and $a_n = \min\{a_n, a_1\}$, we get
2a_n - \frac{n-2}{n-1} a_n \geq \min\{a_1, a_2\} + \min\{a_2, a_3\} + \dots + \min\{a_{n-2}, a_{n-1}\} + \min\{a_{n-1}, a_n\} + \min\{a_n, a_1\}
i.e.
\frac{n}{n-1} \min\{a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n\} \geq \min\{a_1, a_2\} + \min\{a_2, a_3\} + \dots + \min\{a_n, a_1\},
Q.E.D.