Problem: Let a1,a2,…,an be real numbers. Prove 3a13+a23+…+an3≤a12+a22+…+an2 When does equality hold in (1)?
Solution
Solution: If 0≤x≤1, then x3/2≤x, and equality holds if and only if x=0 or x=1.
The inequality is true as an equality if all the ak's are zero. Assume that at least one of the numbers ak is non-zero. Set xk=∑j=1naj2ak2 Then 0≤xk≤1, and by the remark above, k=1∑n(∑j=1naj2ak2)3/2≤k=1∑n∑j=1naj2ak2=1 So k=1∑nak3≤(j=1∑naj2)3/2 which is what was supposed to be proved. For equality, exactly one xk has to be one and the rest have to be zero, which is equivalent to having exactly one of the ak's positive and the rest zero.
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