Proof I We need the following lemma.
Lemma For any real number α and positive number n, we have
i=1∑n−1[iα]≤2n−1[nα].1◯
The lemma is obtained by summing inequalities
[iα]+[(n−i)α]≤[nα]
for i=1,2,…,n−1.
Return to the original problem. We will prove it by induction. For n=1, it is obviously true.
Assume that for n=k, it is also true. Now consider n=k+1. Let ai=xi+k2xi+1, bi=yi+k2yi+1 for i=1,2,…,k. Then we have a1≤a2≤⋯≤ak, b1≥b2≥⋯≥bk and ∑i=1kiai=∑i=1kibi. By induction we get ∑i=1kai[iα]≥∑i=1kbi[iα].
In addition, xk+1≥yk+1. Otherwise, if xk+1<yk+1, we have
x1≤x2≤⋯≤xk+1<yk+1≤⋯≤y2≤y1.
This contradicts ∑i=1k+1ixi=∑i=1k+1iyi. So we have
i=1∑k+1xi[iα]−i=1∑kai[iα]=xk+1{[(k+1)α]−k2i=1∑k[iα]}≥yk+1{[(k+1)α]−k2i=1∑k[iα]}=i=1∑k+1yi[iα]−i=1∑kbi[iα].
That means i=1∑k+1xi[iα]≥i=1∑k+1yi[iα].
By induction, we complete the proof for any integer n>0.
Proof II Define zi=xi−yi for i=1,2,…,n, we have z1≤z2≤⋯≤zn and ∑i=1nizi=0. We only need to prove that
i=1∑nzi[iα]≥0.2◯
Let Δ1=z1,Δ2=z2−z1,…,Δn=zn−zn−1. Then zi=∑j=1iΔj (1≤i≤n), and
0=i=1∑nizi=i=1∑nij=1∑iΔj=j=1∑nΔji=j∑ni.
So we have
Δ1=−j=2∑nΔji=j∑ni/i=1∑ni.3◯
Then
i=1∑nzi[iα]=i=1∑n[iα]j=1∑iΔj=j=1∑nΔji=j∑n[iα]=j=2∑nΔji=j∑n[iα]−j=2∑nΔj(i=j∑ni/i=1∑ni)i=1∑n[iα]=j=2∑nΔji=j∑ni⋅(i=j∑n[iα]/i=j∑ni−i=1∑n[iα]/i=1∑ni).
Then, in order to prove 2◯ we only need to prove that for any 2≤j≤n, the following inequality holds
i=j∑n[iα]/i=j∑ni≥i=1∑n[iα]/i=1∑ni.4◯
But
4◯⇔i=j∑n[iα]/i=j∑ni≥i=1∑j−1[iα]/i=1∑j−1i⇔i=1∑n[iα]/i=1∑ni≥i=1∑j−1[iα]/i=1∑j−1i.
Then we only need to prove, for any k≥1,
i=1∑k+1[iα]/i=1∑k+1i≥i=1∑k[iα]/i=1∑ki,
that is equivalent to prove
[(k+1)α]⋅k/2≥i=1∑k[iα]⇔i=1∑k([(k+1)α]−[iα]−[(k+1−i)α])≥0.
Note that, [x+y]≥[x]+[y] holds for any real numbers x,y, hence 4◯ holds. The proof is complete.