For any integer k, since 0<ak<1, we set sk=a1+a2+…+ak and bk=aksk−12/(1−ak), with the convention that s0=0. We will prove the inequality
bk<(sk3−sk−13)/3
This follows from the fact that
(1) ⇔0<(1−ak)((sk−1+ak)3−sk−13)−3aksk−12⇔0<(1−ak)ak(3sk−12+3sk−1ak+ak2)−3aksk−12⇔0<3aksk−12−3ak2sk−12+3(1−ak)sk−1ak2+(1−ak)ak3−3aksk−12⇔0<3(1−ak−sk−1)sk−1ak2+(1−ak)ak3⇔0<3(1−sk)sk−1ak2+(1−ak)ak3,
the last inequality being indeed correct. We conclude that
b1+b2+…+bn<(sn3−s03)/3=1/3.