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Romanian Mathematical Olympiad

Algebra Difficulty 5.8 AIME, harder Prove it Romania

Let f:[0,1]→Rf : [0, 1] \to \mathbb{R} be a differentiable function, with integrable derivative on [0,1][0, 1], such that f(1)=0f(1) = 0. Prove that
∫01(xf′(x))2dx≥12⋅(∫01xf(x)dx)2. \int_{0}^{1} (x f'(x))^2 dx \geq 12 \cdot \left( \int_{0}^{1} x f(x) dx \right)^2 .

Solution

Let g:[0,1]→Rg : [0, 1] \to \mathbb{R} defined by g(x)=xf(x)g(x) = x f(x), for x∈[0,1]x \in [0, 1]. We have g(0)=0=g(1)g(0) = 0 = g(1), g′(x)=f(x)+xf′(x)g'(x) = f(x) + x f'(x), so that:
∫01x2(f′(x))2dx=∫01(g′(x)−f(x))2dx=∫01(g′(x))2dx−2∫01g′(x)f(x)dx+∫01(f(x))2dx=∫01f2(x)dx+∫01(g′(x))2dx−−2(f(1)g(1)−f(0)g(0))+2∫01g(x)f′(x)dx, \begin{align*} \int_0^1 x^2 (f'(x))^2 dx &= \int_0^1 (g'(x) - f(x))^2 dx \\ &= \int_0^1 (g'(x))^2 dx - 2 \int_0^1 g'(x) f(x) dx + \int_0^1 (f(x))^2 dx \\ &= \int_0^1 f^2(x) dx + \int_0^1 (g'(x))^2 dx - \\ & \qquad -2(f(1)g(1) - f(0)g(0)) + 2 \int_0^1 g(x) f'(x) dx, \end{align*}
implying
∫01x2(f′(x))2dx==∫01f2(x)dx+∫01(g′(x))2dx+∫01x⋅(2f(x)f′(x))dx=∫01f2(x)dx+∫01(g′(x))2dx+∫01x⋅(f2(x))′dx=∫01f2(x)dx+∫01(g′(x))2dx+(1⋅f2(1)−0⋅f2(0))−∫01f2(x)dx=∫01f2(x)dx+∫01(g′(x))2dx−∫01f2(x)dx=∫01(g′(x))2dx. \begin{align*} \int_{0}^{1} x^2 (f'(x))^2 dx &= \\ &= \int_{0}^{1} f^2(x) dx + \int_{0}^{1} (g'(x))^2 dx + \int_{0}^{1} x \cdot (2f(x)f'(x)) dx \\ &= \int_{0}^{1} f^2(x) dx + \int_{0}^{1} (g'(x))^2 dx + \int_{0}^{1} x \cdot (f^2(x))' dx \\ &= \int_{0}^{1} f^2(x) dx + \int_{0}^{1} (g'(x))^2 dx + (1 \cdot f^2(1) - 0 \cdot f^2(0)) - \int_{0}^{1} f^2(x) dx \\ &= \int_{0}^{1} f^2(x) dx + \int_{0}^{1} (g'(x))^2 dx - \int_{0}^{1} f^2(x) dx = \int_{0}^{1} (g'(x))^2 dx. \end{align*}

(∫01(2x−1)⋅g′(x) dx)2≤∫01(2x−1)2 dx⋅∫01(g′(x))2 dx==16⋅((2⋅1−1)3−(2⋅0−1)3)⋅∫01x2(f′(x))2 dx=13⋅∫01x2(f′(x))2 dx. \left( \int_0^1 (2x-1) \cdot g'(x) \, dx \right)^2 \le \int_0^1 (2x-1)^2 \, dx \cdot \int_0^1 (g'(x))^2 \, dx = \\ = \frac{1}{6} \cdot \left( (2 \cdot 1 - 1)^3 - (2 \cdot 0 - 1)^3 \right) \cdot \int_0^1 x^2 (f'(x))^2 \, dx = \frac{1}{3} \cdot \int_0^1 x^2 (f'(x))^2 \, dx.
This gives
∫01(xf′(x))2 dx≥3⋅(∫01(2x−1)⋅g′(x) dx)2==3⋅((2⋅1−1)g(1)−(2⋅0−1)g(0)−2∫01g(x) dx)2==12(∫01xf(x) dx)2, \begin{align*} \int_0^1 (x f'(x))^2 \, dx &\ge 3 \cdot \left( \int_0^1 (2x-1) \cdot g'(x) \, dx \right)^2 = \\ &= 3 \cdot \left( (2 \cdot 1 - 1)g(1) - (2 \cdot 0 - 1)g(0) - 2 \int_0^1 g(x) \, dx \right)^2 = \\ &= 12 \left( \int_0^1 x f(x) \, dx \right)^2, \end{align*}
concluding the proof.

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