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Algebra Difficulty 7.2 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it

15. (1) Let x1,x2,,xn,y1,y2,,ynR+x_{1}, x_{2}, \cdots, x_{n}, y_{1}, y_{2}, \cdots, y_{n} \in \mathbf{R}^{+}, satisfying:
( i ) 0<x1y1<x2y2<<xnyn0 < x_{1} y_{1} < x_{2} y_{2} < \cdots < x_{n} y_{n}; ( ii ) x1+x2++xky1+y2++yk,k=1,2,,nx_{1} + x_{2} + \cdots + x_{k} \geqslant y_{1} + y_{2} + \cdots + y_{k}, k=1,2, \cdots, n.

Prove: 1x1+1x2++1xn1y1+1y2++1yn\frac{1}{x_{1}} + \frac{1}{x_{2}} + \cdots + \frac{1}{x_{n}} \leqslant \frac{1}{y_{1}} + \frac{1}{y_{2}} + \cdots + \frac{1}{y_{n}}.
(-2)-Let A={a1,a2,,an}NA = \{a_{1}, a_{2}, \cdots, a_{n}\} \subset \mathbf{N}^{*}, for all different subsets B,CAB, C \subseteq A, we have xBxxCx\sum_{x \in B} x \neq \sum_{x \in C} x. Prove: 1a1+1a2++1an<2\frac{1}{a_{1}} + \frac{1}{a_{2}} + \cdots + \frac{1}{a_{n}} < 2. (1999 Romanian Mathematical Olympiad Problem)

Solution

15. (1) When n=1n=1, x1y1>0,1x11y1x_{1} \geqslant y_{1}>0, \frac{1}{x_{1}} \leqslant \frac{1}{y_{1}}.

When n=2n=2, x1+x2y1+y2,x1y1y2x2,1y11x1=x1y1x1y1y2x2x2y2=x_{1}+x_{2} \geqslant y_{1}+y_{2}, x_{1}-y_{1} \geqslant y_{2}-x_{2}, \frac{1}{y_{1}}-\frac{1}{x_{1}}=\frac{x_{1}-y_{1}}{x_{1} y_{1}} \geqslant \frac{y_{2}-x_{2}}{x_{2} y_{2}}= 1x21y2\frac{1}{x_{2}}-\frac{1}{y_{2}}, so 1x1+1x21y1+1y2\frac{1}{x_{1}}+\frac{1}{x_{2}} \leqslant \frac{1}{y_{1}}+\frac{1}{y_{2}}.

Assume the proposition holds for nkn \leqslant k, for n=k+1n=k+1, let yi=xi+ai(i=1,2,,k+1)y_{i}=x_{i}+a_{i}(i=1,2, \cdots, k+1). By the condition a10,a1+a20,,a1+a2++ak0,a1+a2++ak+ak+10a_{1} \leqslant 0, a_{1}+a_{2} \leqslant 0, \cdots, a_{1}+a_{2}+\cdots+a_{k} \leqslant 0, a_{1}+a_{2}+\cdots+a_{k}+a_{k+1} \leqslant 0, we have
a1x1y1+a2x2y2++akxkyk0\frac{a_{1}}{x_{1} y_{1}}+\frac{a_{2}}{x_{2} y_{2}}+\cdots+\frac{a_{k}}{x_{k} y_{k}} \leqslant 0

Assume a1x1y1+a2x2y2++akxkyk+ak+1xk+1yk+1>0\frac{a_{1}}{x_{1} y_{1}}+\frac{a_{2}}{x_{2} y_{2}}+\cdots+\frac{a_{k}}{x_{k} y_{k}}+\frac{a_{k+1}}{x_{k+1} y_{k+1}}>0, then we have
02 k-1\text{02 k-1}.Then. Then ak+1>ak+(1+2++2k2)2k1+1+a_{k+1}>a_{k}+\left(1+2+\cdots+2^{k-2}\right) \geqslant 2^{k-1}+1+ (1+2++2k2)=2k$\left(1+2+\cdots+2^{k-2}\right)=2^{k}\$
By analogy, then 1a1+1a2++1an<11+12+14++12n1<2\frac{1}{a_{1}}+\frac{1}{a_{2}}+\cdots+\frac{1}{a_{n}}<\frac{1}{1}+\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{4}+\cdots+\frac{1}{2^{n-1}}<2.

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.