Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2011

Algebra Difficulty 5.8 AIME, harder Prove it Romania

Let nn be a positive integer and a1a2ana_1 \le a_2 \le \cdots \le a_n be positive real numbers. Show that
(k=1nak2)(k=1nkak)(k=1nak)(k=1nkak2). \left( \sum_{k=1}^{n} a_k^2 \right) \left( \sum_{k=1}^{n} k a_k \right) \le \left( \sum_{k=1}^{n} a_k \right) \left( \sum_{k=1}^{n} k a_k^2 \right).

Solution

The hypothesis leads to (ij)(aiaj)aiaj0(i-j)(a_i - a_j)a_i a_j \ge 0 for every ii and jj, hence
0i,j=1n(ij)(aiaj)aiaj=i,j=1n(iai2ajiaiaj2jai2aj+jaiaj2)=(i=1niai2)j=1naj(i=1niai)j=1naj2(i=1nai2)j=1njaj+(i=1nai)j=1njaj2=2(k=1nkak2)k=1nak2(k=1nkak)k=1nak2, \begin{align*} 0 &\le \sum_{i,j=1}^{n} (i-j)(a_i - a_j)a_i a_j \\ &= \sum_{i,j=1}^{n} (i a_i^2 a_j - i a_i a_j^2 - j a_i^2 a_j + j a_i a_j^2) \\ &= \left(\sum_{i=1}^{n} i a_i^2\right) \sum_{j=1}^{n} a_j - \left(\sum_{i=1}^{n} i a_i\right) \sum_{j=1}^{n} a_j^2 - \left(\sum_{i=1}^{n} a_i^2\right) \sum_{j=1}^{n} j a_j + \left(\sum_{i=1}^{n} a_i\right) \sum_{j=1}^{n} j a_j^2 \\ &= 2 \left(\sum_{k=1}^{n} k a_k^2\right) \sum_{k=1}^{n} a_k - 2 \left(\sum_{k=1}^{n} k a_k\right) \sum_{k=1}^{n} a_k^2, \end{align*}
which leads to the required relation.

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