# Math Help - Inequality question.

1. ## Inequality question.

I know this isn't strictly a Pre-Uni question, but it only involves basic algebra as far as I can tell.

Given the following picture:

---------
I don't understand why $(x_1-x_2)^2 \ge 0 \implies P(n)~ \text{true for} ~n=2$.

I can see how they derived the simpler inequality through simple algebraic manipulation, but don't understand why it means the statement holds for n=2.

2. Originally Posted by scorpion007
I know this isn't strictly a Pre-Uni question, but it only involves basic algebra as far as I can tell.

Given the following picture:

---------
I don't understand why $(x_1-x_2)^2 \ge 0 \implies P(n)~ \text{true for} ~n=2$.

I can see how they derived the simpler inequality through simple algebraic manipulation, but don't understand why it means the statement holds for n=2.
Expand it out to get

$(x_1-x_2)^2=x_1^2+x_2^2-2x_1x_2 \ge 0 \iff x_1^2+x_2^2\ge 2x_1x_2 \ge x_1x_2$

Which is the statement of $P(2)$

3. Which is the statement of P(2)
Isn't the statement of P(2):

$x_1 x_2 \le \frac{(x_1+x_2)^2}{4}
$
?

If I understand correctly, you've said that

$x_1 x_2 \le x_1^2 + x_2^2$

is the statement of P(2). Are they really the same?

4. Originally Posted by scorpion007
Isn't the statement of P(2):

$x_1 x_2 \le \frac{(x_1+x_2)^2}{4}
$
?

If I understand correctly, you've said that

$x_1 x_2 \le x_1^2 + x_2^2$

is the statement of P(2). Are they really the same?
You are correct so let me do this again.

$(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2=(x_1^2-x_2^2) \ge 0 \implies$

$(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2 \ge 0 \iff (x_1+x_2)^2 \ge 4x_1x_2$

$\frac{(x_1+x_2)^2}{4} \ge x_1x_2$

5. Ah, perfect! thanks!

6. Actually, that raises a question:

To get to

$
(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2 \ge 0
$

We presumably would have started from

$
x_1 x_2 \le \frac{(x_1+x_2)^2}{4}
$

and multiplied both sides by 4, then subtracted $4x_1x_2$ from both sides, right?

So haven't we just proven that $P(2) \iff P(2)$. I.e. circular reasoning?

7. Originally Posted by scorpion007
Actually, that raises a question:

To get to

$
(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2 \ge 0
$

We presumably would have started from

$
x_1 x_2 \le \frac{(x_1+x_2)^2}{4}
$

and multiplied both sides by 4, then subtracted $4x_1x_2$ from both sides, right?

So haven't we just proven that $P(2) \iff P(2)$. I.e. circular reasoning?

$(x_1-x_2)^2=x_1^2-2x_1x_2+x_2^2$

Now add and subtract $2x_1x_2$ to get

$x_1^2-2x_1x_2+x_2^2+2x_1x_2-2x_1x_2=(x_1^2+2x_1x_2+x_2^2)-4x_1x_2=(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2$

8. Right, but in the original image I posted, they don't start with $(x_1-x_2)^2$, but rather from $(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2$ and then get to $(x_1-x_2)^2$.

And it seems like to get to $(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2$, they would have started with the definition of P(2).

9. Originally Posted by scorpion007
Right, but in the original image I posted, they don't start with $(x_1-x_2)^2$, but rather from $(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2$ and then get to $(x_1-x_2)^2$.

And it seems like to get to $(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2$, they would have started with the definition of P(2).
The equality is and if and only if statement. I.e all of the steps are reversible. So it you start with

$(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2$ and expand it out, collect like terms and factor you will end up with

$(x_1+x_2)^2-4x_1x_2=(x_1-x_2)^2$