Let $n$ be a natural number. Suppose that $x_0=0$ and that $x_i>0$ for all $i\in\{1,2,\ldots ,n\}$. If $\sum_{i=1}^nx_i=1$ , prove that \[1\leq\sum_{i=1}^{n} \frac{x_i}{\sqrt{1+x_0+x_1+\ldots +x_{i-1}}\sqrt{x_i+\ldots+x_n}} < \frac{\pi}{2} \]
Problem
Source: CMO-1996-5
Tags: inequalities, trigonometry, calculus, derivative, integration
04.01.2006 18:48
The left-hand side is easy:just apply arithmetic-geometric mean inequality for the denominator and you will get it is never larger than 1: root(1+x(0)+...+x(i-1))root(x(i)+...x(n)<=(1+x(0)+...(x(n))/2=1
05.01.2006 01:09
I think I've done the right hand side - I'll post it tomorrow because it requires a picture.
05.01.2006 13:58
Suppose $1+x_0+x_1+...+x_i=cos{a_i}$,and then it can be proved with sum $sin x<x$.
05.01.2006 14:41
HINT.let $\theta_i=\arc \sin (x_0+\cdots+x_i)\ ,\ i=0,1,\dots,n$ therefore $\sqrt{1+x_0+\cdots+x_{i-1}}.\sqrt{x_i+\dots+x_n}=\cos\theta_{i-1}$
05.01.2006 17:02
Here is my solution (unfortunately, without the picture): - first, consider an unit circle. Its circumference is $2\pi$ - we will prove that the given sum is smaller than the quarter of the circumference, i.e. $\frac{\pi}{2}$. - let's consider the quarter of our circle (O is the center of the circle). By putting on the radius points $A_{1}, A_{2},...,A{n}$ such that $OA_{1}=x_{1}, A_{1}A_{2}=x_{2},...,A_{n-1}A_{n}=x_{n}$ we have our condition that the sum of x_i is 1. - let $S_{i}=x_{1}+...+x_{i-1}$. By drawing a line from $A_{i-1}$ perpendicular to the radius (let B be the point where the line touches the cirlce) we get a right-angled triangle with hypotenuse OB and two other sides OA_{i-1} and A_{i-1}B. Of course OB=1 and OA_{i-1}=S_{i}, so $A_{i-1}B=\sqrt[2]{1-S_{i}^{2}}$. - now we draw similar line from $A_{i}$, paralell to A_{i-1}B, and let C be the point where the line touches the circle. $A_{i-1}A_{i}=x_{i}$. Obviously the segment BC is smaller than the arc BC, and the sum of arcs is $\frac{\pi}{2}$, so if we prove that the segment BC is greater than $\frac{x_{i}}{\sqrt[2]{1+x_{0}+...+x_{i-1}}\sqrt[2]{x_{i}+...+x_{n}}}$, we are done (this reasoning is applied to every x_{i}) - our expression $\frac{x_{i}}{\sqrt[2]{1+x_{0}+...+x_{i-1}}\sqrt[2]{x_{i}+...+x_{n}}}$ is equivalent to $\frac{x_{i}}{\sqrt[2]{1-S_{i}^{2}}}$ (it can't be displayed properly , but it's an expression with $S_{i}$). We have to prove that this is smaller than the length of the segment BC. It requires an awful lot of calculations, and then we have to prove an inequality that I proved using calculus (derivatives etc.). I don't post it here because it's somewhat boring and definitely not elegant, but it seems to me that it's correct.
05.01.2006 20:30
saeid and dingdongdog, could you explain your solutions in detail?
06.01.2006 05:15
Maybe you can use the fact:$\int_0^{1} \frac 1{\sqrt{1-x^2}}=\frac{\pi}2$
06.01.2006 07:47
let $\theta_i=\arc \sin (x_0+\cdots+x_i)\ ,\ \ \ \ i=0,1,\dots,n$ therefor$\sqrt{1+x_0+\cdots+x_{i-1}}.\sqrt{x_i+\dots+x_n}=\cos\theta_{i-1}$ now the inequality is equal to: $\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{\sin\theta_i-\sin\theta_{i-1}}{\cos\theta_{i-1}}<\frac{\pi}{2}$ notice that: $\sin\theta_i-\sin\theta_{i-1}=2.\cos\frac{\theta_i+\theta_{i-1}}{2}.\sin\frac{\theta_i-\theta_{i-1}}{2}<\cos\theta_{i-1}(\theta_i-\theta_{i-1})$ because $\theta_{i-1}<\theta_i$ and if $x>0,\sin x<x$ hence: $\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{\sin\theta_i-\sin\theta_{i-1}}{\cos\theta_{i-1}}<\sum_{i=1}^n(\theta_i-\theta_{i-1})=\theta_n-\theta_0<\frac{\pi}{2}$ Is it clear.
06.01.2006 21:20
You surely meant $sin\theta_i=x_0+\cdots+x_i$, not $\theta_i=\arc \sin (x_0+\cdots+x_i)$?
30.06.2022 04:33
I did not solve this all by myself, but this is certainly a good inequality. Let $y_i$ be the partial sum of the first $i$ terms in $\{x_n\}$. Then, for the lower bound, note that $$S = \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{y_i-y_{i-1}}{\sqrt{1+y_{i-1}} \cdot \sqrt{1-y_{i-1}}} = \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{y_i-y_{i-1}}{\sqrt{1-y_{i-1}^2}} \geq \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{y_i - y_{i-1}}1 = y_n = y_0 = 1.$$For the RHS bound, let $y_i = \sin \theta_i$ for some $0=\theta_0<\theta_1<\cdots<\theta_n = \frac{\pi}2$. Then, \begin{align*} S &= \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{\sin \theta_i - \sin \theta_{i-1}}{\cos \theta_{i-1}} \\ &= \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{2\cos \frac{\theta_i + \theta_{i-1}}2 \sin \frac{\theta_i-\theta_{i-1}}2}{\cos \theta_{i-1}} \\ &< \sum_{i=1}^n 2\sin \frac{\theta_i - \theta_{i-1}}2 \\ &< \sum_{i=1}^n 2 \cdot \frac{\theta_i - \theta_{i-1}}2 = \theta_n - \theta_0 =\frac{\pi}2 \end{align*}because $\cos$ is strictly decreasing on $\left[0, \frac{\pi}2\right]$ and $\sin x < x$ for any angle in that interval. We are done.