ASSIGNMENT 1

1. Prove that

2 33 996 1989 1 1 1
3 + + ... + 3 −  + + ... + .
1 2 995 2 3 6 8961
2. If a, b, c, d are all positive real numbers, prove that
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
3
+ 3+ 3+ 3 + + +
a b c d abc bcd cda dab
3. If a, b, c are non – negative real numbers such that a + b + c = 1, then show that
a b c 9
+ +  .
1 + bc 1 + ca 1 + ab 10
102013 + 1 103013 + 1
4. Show that 
102014 + 1 103014 + 1
1 + a + a2 + ... + an−1 1 + b + b2 + .... + bn−1
5. If a > b > 0, which of the two numbers and is greater?
1 + a + a2 + ... + an 1 + b + b2 + ... + bn
6. Let A1A2A3 and B1B2B3 be triangles. If p = A1A2 + A2A3 + A3A1 + B1B2 + B2B3 + B3B1 and q =
A1B1 + A1B2 + A1B3 + A2B1 + A2B2 + A2B3 + A3B1 + A3B2 + A3B3 prove that 3p ≤4q.
7. Given n > 2 real numbers x1, …., xn in [-1, 1] with the sum x1 + … + xn = n – 3, prove that
x12 + ... + x 2n  n − 1.
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Solutions
1. Prove that
2 33 996 1989 1 1 1
3 + + ... + 3 −  + + ... + .
1 2 995 2 3 6 8961
Sol. Note that
3k + 1 3k + 2 3k + 3 1 1 1
+ + = 3+ + +
3k 3k + 1 3k + 2 3k 3k + 1 3k + 2
and
3k + 1 3k + 2 3k + 3 k + 1
. . = ,
3k 3k + 1 3k + 2 k
by the Arithmetic – Geometric Mean inequality, we have
1 1 1 k +1
3+ + +  33 .
3k 3k + 1 3k + 2 k
Then
995
k + 1 995  1 1 1 
3 3   3 + + + ,
k =1 k k =1  3k 3k + 1 3k + 2 
and hence
995
k + 1 1989 1989 995 1  1 1 1 

k =1
3
k
−
2
 995 −
2
+  +
k =1 3  3k
+ 
3k + 1 3k + 2 
1 1 1 1  1 1 1 1 1 
= +  + + ... +  = + +  + + ... + .
2  9 12 8961  3 6  9 12 8961 

2. If a, b, c, d are all positive real numbers, prove that

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
3
+ 3+ 3+ 3 + + +
a b c d abc bcd cda dab
Sol. Since a, b, c, d are all positive real numbers, by A.M. – G.M. inequality, we get
1 1 1 3 1 1 1 3
3
+ 3+ 3 , 3
+ 3+ 3 ,
a b c abc a b d abd
1 1 1 3 1 1 1 3
3
+ 3+ 3 , 3
+ 3+ 3 .
a c d acd b c d bcd
Adding the last four inequalities and dividing both the sides by 3 we get the result. Moreover,
equality holds if a = b = c = d.

3. If a, b, c are non – negative real numbers such that a + b + c = 1, then show that
a b c 9
+ +  .
1 + bc 1 + ca 1 + ab 10
Sol. The result clearly holds if one a, b, c is zero. So let a, b, c be positive. Since a + b + c = 1, by AM –
GM inequality.
 3

1 a+b+c 3 1
=  abc or  3abc.
3 3 9
1 9
Hence,  . Now on letting r = 1, n = 3,
1 + 3abc 10
1 1 1
p1 = a, p2 = b, p3 = c, a1 = , a2 = and a 3 = ,
1 + bc 1 + ca 1 + ab
and nothing that p1 + p2 + p3 = a + b + c = 1,
 p1a1 + p 2a 2 + p3a 3   p1 + p 2 + p3 
    −1 −1 −1 
 p1 + p 2 + p3   p1a1 + p 2a 2 + p3a 3 
a b c 1 1 9
Hence, + +  =  .
1 + bc 1 + ca 1 + ca a(1 + bc) + b(1 + ca) + c(1 + ab) 1 + 3abc 10

102013 + 1 103013 + 1
4. Show that 
102014 + 1 103014 + 1
Sol: Let a = 102013 and b = 101000; then we need to prove that,
 a + 1   ab + 1 
  
 10a + 1   10ab + 1 
This is equivalent to (a + 1)(10ab + 1) > (10a + 1)(ab + 1).
This holds only iff 10a2b + a + 10ab + 1 > 10a2b + 10a + ab + a
i.e., 9ab > 9a  b > 1
Since, b = 101000, b > 1.
Hence, it is true.

1 + a + a2 + ... + an−1 1 + b + b2 + .... + bn−1

5. If a > b > 0, which of the two numbers and is greater?
1 + a + a2 + ... + an 1 + b + b2 + ... + bn
1 + a + a 2 + ... + a n −1
Sol: Let, A=
1 + a + a 2 + .... + a n
1 + b + b 2 + ... + b n −1
and B=
1 + b + b 2 + .... + b n
1 1 + a + a 2 + ..... + a n an 1
= n −1
= 1+ n −1
= 1+
A 1 + a + a + .... + a
2
1 + a + a + .... + a
2
1 + a + a + ... + a n −1
2

an
1
= 1+
1 1 1 1
n
+ n −1 + n −2 + ... +
a a a a
1 1
Similarly, = 1 +
B 1 1 1
n
+ n −1 + .... +
b b b
As a>b
 4

 ak > bk for all k 

 1
 k
 k
a b
n n
1 1
 k =1 a
k
 
k =1 b
k

1 1
 n
 n
1 1
a
k =1
k b
k =1
k

1 1
 
A B
 A<B

6. Let A1A2A3 and B1B2B3 be triangles. If p = A1A2 + A2A3 + A3A1 + B1B2 + B2B3 + B3B1 and q =
A1B1 + A1B2 + A1B3 + A2B1 + A2B2 + A2B3 + A3B1 + A3B2 + A3B3 prove that 3p ≤4q.
Sol: Note that. AB + BC> AC
Now
A1 B1 + B1 A 2  A1 A 2 
A1 B1 + B1 A 3  A1 A 3 
A1 B2 + B2 A 2  A1 A 2 
 6 ineqaulities
A1 B2 + B2 A3  A1 A 3 
A1 B3 + B3 A 2  A1 A 2 

A1 B3 + B3 A3  A1 A 3 
Similarly write six inequalities starting with each of A2, A3, B1, B2, B3 and add all 36 inequalities to
get
8(A1B1 + A1B2 + A1B3 + A2B1 + A2B2 + A2B3 + A3B1 + A3B2 + B3B3 )  6(A1A2 + A2A3 + A3A1 +
B1B2 + B2B3 + B3B1)
 8q  6p
 4q  3p

7. Given n > 2 real numbers x1, …., xn in [-1, 1] with the sum x1 + … + xn = n – 3, prove that
x12 + ... + x 2n  n − 1.
n
Sol. Put yi = 1 — xi, we have 0  yi  2 and y
i =1
i = 3 . Then
n
x12 + ..... + x 2n  n − 1   yi2  5
i =1

Note that there are at most two yi’s greater than 1. Then we have the following cases:
Case 1: 0  yi  1,  i = l, ..., n. In this case yi2  yi and hence
 5

n n

 yi2   yi = 3  5 .
i =1 i =1

Case 2: There is only say yi > 1. In this case

n n n

 yi2  y12 +  yi = y1 ( y1 − 1) +  yi  2.1 + 3 = 5.

i =1 i =2 i =1

Case 3: There are say y1, y2 > 1. In this rase

n n n

 yi2  y12 + + y22 +  yi = y1 ( y1 − 1) + y2 ( y2 − 1) +  yi

i =1 i =3 i =1

 2(y1 – 1) + 2(y2 – 1) + 3 = 2(y1 + y2) – l  2 . 3 – l = 5.