Consider the permutation {m1,m2,…,mk} of {1,2,…,k} such that am1<am2<⋯<amk, and note that:
∣ami−ami+1∣≥mi+mi+11
Based on this permutation, the total distance am1amk=∣am1−amk∣ can be interpreted as a sum of the smaller intervals:
am1amk=i=1∑k−1amiami+1
Applying the inequality given, we have:
am1amk≥i=1∑k−1mi+mi+11
The Arithmetic Mean-Harmonic Mean Inequality (AM-HM Inequality) gives us:
k−1(m1+m2)+(m2+m3)+⋯+(mk−1+mk)≥m1+m21+⋯+mk−1+mk1k−1
Simplifying, this implies:
(m1+2m2+⋯+2mk−1+mk)(m1+m21+⋯+mk−1+mk1)≥(k−1)2
Since m1+2m2+…+2mk−1+mk is less than or equal to 2(m1+m2+…+mk), we find:
2am1amk(m1+m2+⋯+mk)≥(k−1)2
And knowing that {m1,m2,…,mk} is a permutation of {1,2,…,k}, we find:
2am1amk⋅2k(k+1)≥(k−1)2
This implies:
am1amk≥k(k+1)(k−1)2=kk−1⋅k+1k−1
Further simplifying, we get:
am1amk>(k+1k−1)2=(1−k+12)2
Finally, if am1amk<1 for all k∈N, a contradiction arises, suggesting that:
am1amk≥1
Therefore, since ∣am1−amk∣ is at least 1, it follows that c≥1.
Hence, the conclusion is:
c≥1