Olympiad Maths Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 136 of 400 #1136 of 2000

Problem 1136

National olympiad, first round
Algebra Difficulty 6.2 Prove it

Prove that the function F(x,y)=xyF(x, y)=\sqrt{x y} is concave, the function log(ax+ay)\log \left(a^{x}+a^{y}\right) is convex, the function x1q1x2q2x_{1}^{q_{1}} x_{2}^{q_{2}} and generally the function x1q1x2q2xnqnx_{1}^{q_{1}} x_{2}^{q_{2}} \ldots x_{n}^{q_{n}} is concave (where q1,q2q_{1}, q_{2} and q1,q2,,qnq_{1}, q_{2}, \ldots, q_{n} are given positive numbers such that q1+q2=1q_{1}+q_{2}=1 and q1+q2++qn=1q_{1}+q_{2}+\ldots+q_{n}=1, and the variables x1,x2x_{1}, x_{2} and x1,x2,,xnx_{1}, x_{2}, \ldots, x_{n} can only take positive values).

Prove the inequality

(x1(1)+x1(2)++x1(k))q1(x2(1)+x2(2)++x2(k))q2(xn(1)+xn(2)++xn(k))qnx1(1)q1x2(1)q2xn(1)qn++x1(2)q1x2(2)q2xn(2)qn++x1(k)q1x2(k)q2xn(k)qn \begin{aligned} & \left(x_{1}^{(1)}+x_{1}^{(2)}+\ldots+x_{1}^{(k)}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(x_{2}^{(1)}+x_{2}^{(2)}+\ldots+x_{2}^{(k)}\right)^{q_{2}} \ldots \\ & \ldots\left(x_{n}^{(1)}+x_{n}^{(2)}+\ldots+x_{n}^{(k)}\right)^{q_{n}} \geqq x_{1}^{(1) q_{1}} x_{2}^{(1) q_{2}} \ldots x_{n}^{(1) q_{n}}+ \\ & \quad+x_{1}^{(2) q_{1}} x_{2}^{(2) q_{2}} \ldots x_{n}^{(2) q_{n}}+\ldots+x_{1}^{(k) q_{1}} x_{2}^{(k) q_{2}} \ldots x_{n}^{(k) q_{n}} \end{aligned}

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, read the official solution, then mark yourself honestly — the ladder only means something if the record is true.

Official solution

For example, consider the function xy\sqrt{x y} defined for positive values. Forming the difference between the two sides of the symmetric Jensen inequality for this function:

(x1+x22)(y1+y22)x1y1+x2y22==12(x1+x2)(y1+y2)(x1y1+x2y2)2(x1+y2)(y1+y2)+x1y1+x2y2 \begin{aligned} & \sqrt{\left(\frac{x_{1}+x_{2}}{2}\right)\left(\frac{y_{1}+y_{2}}{2}\right)}-\frac{\sqrt{x_{1} y_{1}}+\sqrt{x_{2} y_{2}}}{2}= \\ = & \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{\left(x_{1}+x_{2}\right)\left(y_{1}+y_{2}\right)-\left(\sqrt{x_{1} y_{1}}+\sqrt{x_{2} y_{2}}\right)^{2}}{\sqrt{\left(x_{1}+y_{2}\right)\left(y_{1}+y_{2}\right)}+\sqrt{x_{1} y_{1}}+\sqrt{x_{2} y_{2}}} \end{aligned}

Here, the denominator is positive, and the numerator can be further transformed by expanding the square terms and simplifying:

x1y2+x2y12x1y1x2y2 x_{1} y_{2}+x_{2} y_{1}-2 \sqrt{x_{1} y_{1} x_{2} y_{2}}

Here, the first two terms are the arithmetic mean of x1y2x_{1} y_{2} and x2y1x_{2} y_{1}, and the subtrahend is twice their geometric mean. Thus, the difference cannot be negative. The expression can be zero, however, if x1y2=x2y1x_{1} y_{2}=x_{2} y_{1}, i.e., x1/y1=x2/y2x_{1} / y_{1}=x_{2} / y_{2}. Therefore, the surface is concave in a broader sense. On the (x,y)(x, y) plane, straight lines passing through the initial point also draw straight lines on the surface.

For the function loga(ax+ay)\stackrel{a}{\log }\left(a^{x}+a^{y}\right)

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according to the previously proven inequality, assuming that a>1a>1. Equality can hold if ax1y1=ax2y2a^{x_{1}-y_{1}}=a^{x_{2}-y_{2}}. If 0<a<10<a<1, the function is convex if a>1a>1 and concave in a broader sense if 0<a<10<a<1.

Now let's examine the function xq1xq2x^{q_{1}} x^{q_{2}} where x,y,q1x, y, q_{1}, and q2q_{2} are positive and q1+q2=1q_{1}+q_{2}=1. Here, we need to compare the expressions

x1q1y2q2+x2q1y2q22 and (x1+x22)q1(y1+y22)q2=12(x1+x2)q1(y1+y2)q \frac{x_{1}^{q_{1}} y_{2}^{q_{2}}+x_{2}^{q_{1}} y_{2}^{q_{2}}}{2} \text { and }\left(\frac{x_{1}+x_{2}}{2}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(\frac{y_{1}+y_{2}}{2}\right)^{q_{2}}=\frac{1}{2}\left(x_{1}+x_{2}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(y_{1}+y_{2}\right)^{q}

We can transform their ratio using the fact that the weighted geometric mean of two quantities is less than or equal to their weighted arithmetic mean.

x1q1y1q2+x2q1y2q2(x1+x2)q1(y1+y2)q2=(x1x1+x2)q1(y1y1+y2)q2+(x2x1+x2)q1(y2y1+y2)q2q1x1x1+x2+q2y1y1+y2+q1x2x1+x2+q2y2y1+y2=q1+q2=1 \begin{gathered} \frac{x_{1}^{q_{1}} y_{1}^{q_{2}}+x_{2}^{q_{1}} y_{2}^{q_{2}}}{\left(x_{1}+x_{2}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(y_{1}+y_{2}\right)^{q_{2}}}=\left(\frac{x_{1}}{x_{1}+x_{2}}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(\frac{y_{1}}{y_{1}+y_{2}}\right)^{q_{2}}+\left(\frac{x_{2}}{x_{1}+x_{2}}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(\frac{y_{2}}{y_{1}+y_{2}}\right)^{q_{2}} \leq \\ \leq q_{1} \frac{x_{1}}{x_{1}+x_{2}}+q_{2} \frac{y_{1}}{y_{1}+y_{2}}+q_{1} \frac{x_{2}}{x_{1}+x_{2}}+q_{2} \frac{y_{2}}{y_{1}+y_{2}}=q_{1}+q_{2}=1 \end{gathered}

Equality can hold if

x1x1+x2=y1y1+y2 and x2x1+x2=y2y1+y2 \frac{x_{1}}{x_{1}+x_{2}}=\frac{y_{1}}{y_{1}+y_{2}} \quad \text { and } \quad \frac{x_{2}}{x_{1}+x_{2}}=\frac{y_{2}}{y_{1}+y_{2}}

i.e., if x1/y1=x2/y2x_{1} / y_{1}=x_{2} / y_{2}. Therefore, the function xq1yq2x^{q_{1}} y^{q_{2}} is concave in a broader sense if q1+q2=1q_{1}+q_{2}=1. Similarly, for the function x1q1x2q2xnqnx_{1}^{q_{1}} x_{2}^{q_{2}} \ldots x_{n}^{q_{n}} where x1,x2,,xn;y1,y2,,yn;q1,q2,,qnx_{1}, x_{2}, \ldots, x_{n} ; y_{1}, y_{2}, \ldots, y_{n} ; q_{1}, q_{2}, \ldots, q_{n} are positive and q1+q2++qn=1q_{1}+q_{2}+\ldots+q_{n}=1, we have

x1q1x2q2xnqn+yq1yq2ynqn2(x1+y12)q1(x2+y22)q2(xn+yn2)qn==(x1x1+y1)q1(x2x2+y2)q2(xnxn+yn)qn+(y1x1+y1)q1(y2x2+y2)q2(ynyn+yn)qnq1x1x1+y1+q2x2x2+y2++qnxnxn+yn+q1y1x1+y1+q2y2x2+y2++qnynxn+yn==q1+q2++qn=1 \begin{aligned} & \frac{x_{1}^{q_{1}} x_{2}^{q_{2}} \ldots x_{n}^{q_{n}}+y^{q_{1}} y^{q_{2}} \ldots y_{n}^{q_{n}}}{2} \\ & \left(\frac{x_{1}+y_{1}}{2}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(\frac{x_{2}+y_{2}}{2}\right)^{q_{2}} \ldots\left(\frac{x_{n}+y_{n}}{2}\right)^{q_{n}}= \\ & =\left(\frac{x_{1}}{x_{1}+y_{1}}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(\frac{x_{2}}{x_{2}+y_{2}}\right)^{q_{2}} \ldots\left(\frac{x_{n}}{x_{n}+y_{n}}\right)^{q_{n}}+\left(\frac{y_{1}}{x_{1}+y_{1}}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(\frac{y_{2}}{x_{2}+y_{2}}\right)^{q_{2}} \ldots\left(\frac{y_{n}}{y_{n}+y_{n}}\right)^{q_{n}} \leq \\ & \leq q_{1} \frac{x_{1}}{x_{1}+y_{1}}+q_{2} \frac{x_{2}}{x_{2}+y_{2}}+\ldots+q_{n} \frac{x_{n}}{x_{n}+y_{n}}+q_{1} \frac{y_{1}}{x_{1}+y_{1}}+q_{2} \frac{y_{2}}{x_{2}+y_{2}}+\ldots+q_{n} \frac{y_{n}}{x_{n}+y_{n}}= \\ & =q_{1}+q_{2}+\ldots+q_{n}=1 \end{aligned}

Thus, the function is again concave in a broader sense. Let's write down the symmetric inequality for kk terms. Denote kk sets of nn numbers as (x1(1),x2(1),,xn(1)),(x1(2),x2(2),,xn(2)),,(x1(k),x2(k),,xn(k))\left(x_{1}^{(1)}, x_{2}^{(1)}, \ldots, x_{n}^{(1)}\right),\left(x_{1}^{(2)}, x_{2}^{(2)}, \ldots, x_{n}^{(2)}\right), \ldots,\left(x_{1}^{(k)}, x_{2}^{(k)}, \ldots, x_{n}^{(k)}\right), then

(x1(1)+x1(2)++x1(k)k)q1(x2(1)+x2(2)++x2(k)k)q2(xn(1)++xn(k)k)qnx1(1)q1x2(1)q2xn(1)qn+x1(2)q1xn(2)qn++x1(k)q1x2(k)q2xn(k)qnk. \begin{gathered} \left(\frac{x_{1}^{(1)}+x_{1}^{(2)}+\ldots+x_{1}^{(k)}}{k}\right)^{q_{1}}\left(\frac{x_{2}^{(1)}+x_{2}^{(2)}+\ldots+x_{2}^{(k)}}{k}\right)^{q_{2}} \ldots\left(\frac{x_{n}^{(1)}+\ldots+x_{n}^{(k)}}{k}\right)^{q_{n}} \geq \\ \geq \frac{x_{1}^{(1) q_{1}} x_{2}^{(1) q_{2}} \ldots x_{n}^{(1) q_{n}}+x_{1}^{(2) q_{1}} \ldots x_{n}^{(2) q_{n}}+\ldots+x_{1}^{(k) q_{1}} x_{2}^{(k) q_{2}} \ldots x_{n}^{(k) q_{n}}}{k} . \end{gathered}

Here, since q1+q2+qn=1q_{1}+q_{2}+\ldots q_{n}=1, the denominators can be omitted.

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