Difference between revisions of "Trivial Inequality"

Latest revision as of 22:51, 13 January 2024

The trivial inequality is an inequality that states that the square of any real number is nonnegative. Its name comes from its simplicity and straightforwardness.

Statement

For all real numbers $x$ , $x^2 \ge 0$ .

Proof

We can have either $x=0$ , $x>0$ , or $x<0$ . If $x=0$ , then $x^2 = 0^2 \ge 0$ . If $x>0$ , then $x^2 = (x)(x) > 0$ by the closure of the set of positive numbers under multiplication. Finally, if $x<0$ , then $x^2 = (-x)(-x) > 0,$ again by the closure of the set of positive numbers under multiplication.

Therefore, $x^2 \ge 0$ for all real $x$ , as claimed.

Applications

The trivial inequality is one of the most commonly used theorems in mathematics. It is very well-known and does not require proof.

One application is maximizing and minimizing quadratic functions. It gives an easy proof of the two-variable case of the Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean inequality:

Suppose that $x$ and $y$ are nonnegative reals. By the trivial inequality, we have $(x-y)^2 \geq 0$ , or $x^2-2xy+y^2 \geq 0$ . Adding $4xy$ to both sides, we get $x^2+2xy+y^2 = (x+y)^2 \geq 4xy$ . Since both sides of the inequality are nonnegative, it is equivalent to $x+y \ge 2\sqrt{xy}$ , and thus we have $\frac{x+y}{2} \geq \sqrt{xy},$ as desired.

Another application will be to minimize/maximize quadratics. For example,

$ax^2+bx+c = a(x^2+\frac{b}{a}x+\frac{b^2}{4a^2})+c-\frac{b^2}{4a} = a(x+\frac{b}{2a})^2+c-\frac{b^2}{4a}.$

Then, we use trivial inequality to get $ax^2+bx+c\ge c-\frac{b^2}{4a}$ if $a$ is positive and $ax^2+bx+c\le c-\frac{b^2}{4a}$ if $a$ is negative.

Problems

Introductory

Find all integer solutions $x,y,z$ of the equation $x^2+5y^2+10z^2=4xy+6yz+2z-1$ .
Show that $\sum_{k=1}^{n}a_k^2 \geq a_1a_2+a_2a_3+\cdots+a_{n-1}a_n+a_na_1$ . Solution
Show that $x^2+y^4\geq 2x+4y^2-5$ for all real $x$ and $y$ .

Intermediate

Triangle $ABC$ has $AB=9$ and $BC: AC=40: 41$ . What is the largest area that this triangle can have? (AIME 1992)

The fraction,

$\frac{ab+bc+ac}{(a+b+c)^2}$

where $a,b$ and $c$ are side lengths of a triangle, lies in the interval $(p,q]$ , where $p$ and $q$ are rational numbers. Then, $p+q$ can be expressed as $\frac{r}{s}$ , where $r$ and $s$ are relatively prime positive integers. Find $r+s$ . (Solution here)

Olympiad

Let $c$ be the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose two other sides have lengths $a$ and $b$ . Prove that $a+b\le c\sqrt{2}$ . When does the equality hold? (1969 Canadian MO)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The '''Trivial Inequality''' is a simple [[inequality]] named because of its sheer simplicity and seeming triviality.
+The '''trivial inequality''' is an [[inequality]] that states that the square of any real number is nonnegative. Its name comes from its simplicity and straightforwardness.
-==Inequality==
+==Statement==
-The inequality states that <math>{x^2 \ge 0}</math> for all [[real number]]s <math>x</math>. This is a rather useful [[inequality]] for proving that certain quantities are [[nonnegative]]. The inequality appears to be obvious and unimportant, but it can be a very powerful problem solving technique.
+For all [[real number]]s <math>x</math>, <math>x^2 \ge 0</math>.
 ==Proof==
-We assume the negation of the theorem; that is there is a real <math>x</math> such that <math>x^2<0</math>. We now consider three cases:
+We can have either <math>x=0</math>, <math>x>0</math>, or <math>x<0</math>. If <math>x=0</math>, then <math>x^2 = 0^2 \ge 0</math>. If <math>x>0</math>, then <math>x^2 = (x)(x) > 0</math> by the closure of the set of positive numbers under multiplication. Finally, if <math>x<0</math>, then <math>x^2 = (-x)(-x) > 0,</math> again by the closure of the set of positive numbers under multiplication.
-'''Case 1; <math>x=0</math>:''' This obviously is a contradiction, as <math>0^2\not < 0</math>
+Therefore, <math>x^2 \ge 0</math> for all real <math>x</math>, as claimed.
-'''Case 2; <math>x>0</math>:''' Here, we divide by <math>x</math>, which is allowable because we know <math>x</math> is positive: <math>x<\frac{0}{x}\Rightarrow x<0</math>, which results in contradiction.
+==Applications==
+The trivial inequality is one of the most commonly used theorems in mathematics. It is very well-known and does not require proof.
+One application is maximizing and minimizing [[quadratic]] functions. It gives an easy proof of the two-variable case of the [[AMGM | Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean]] inequality:
-'''Case 3; <math>x<0</math>:''' Since <math>x<0</math>, we can again divide by <math>x</math> and reverse the inequality symbol: <math>x>\frac{0}{x}\Rightarrow x>0</math>, which again is a contradiction.
+Suppose that <math>x</math> and <math>y</math> are nonnegative reals. By the trivial inequality, we have <math>(x-y)^2 \geq 0</math>, or <math>x^2-2xy+y^2 \geq 0</math>. Adding <math>4xy</math> to both sides, we get <math>x^2+2xy+y^2 = (x+y)^2 \geq 4xy</math>. Since both sides of the inequality are nonnegative, it is equivalent to <math>x+y \ge 2\sqrt{xy}</math>, and thus we have <cmath> \frac{x+y}{2} \geq \sqrt{xy}, </cmath> as desired.
-Thus, the theorem is true.
+Another application will be to minimize/maximize quadratics. For example,
-==Applications==
+<cmath>ax^2+bx+c = a(x^2+\frac{b}{a}x+\frac{b^2}{4a^2})+c-\frac{b^2}{4a} = a(x+\frac{b}{2a})^2+c-\frac{b^2}{4a}.</cmath>
-The trivial inequality can be used to maximize and minimize [[quadratic]] functions.
+Then, we use trivial inequality to get <math>ax^2+bx+c\ge c-\frac{b^2}{4a}</math> if <math>a</math> is positive and <math>ax^2+bx+c\le c-\frac{b^2}{4a}</math> if <math>a</math> is negative.
-After [[completing the square]], the trivial inequality can be applied to determine the extrema of a quadratic function.
+== Problems ==
+===Introductory===
+*Find all integer solutions <math>x,y,z</math> of the equation <math>x^2+5y^2+10z^2=4xy+6yz+2z-1</math>.
+*Show that <math>\sum_{k=1}^{n}a_k^2 \geq a_1a_2+a_2a_3+\cdots+a_{n-1}a_n+a_na_1</math>. [[Inequality_Introductory_Problem_2|Solution]]
+*Show that <math>x^2+y^4\geq 2x+4y^2-5</math> for all real <math>x</math> and <math>y</math>.
-Here is an example of the important use of this inequality:
+===Intermediate===
+*Triangle <math>ABC</math> has <math>AB=9</math> and <math>BC: AC=40: 41</math>. What is the largest area that this triangle can have? ([[1992 AIME Problems/Problem 13|AIME 1992]])
-Suppose that <math>a,b</math> are nonnegative [[real number]]s. Starting with <math>(a-b)^2\geq0</math>, after squaring we have <math>a^2-2ab+b^2\geq0</math>. Now add <math>4ab</math> to both sides of the inequality to get <math>a^2+2ab+b^2=(a+b)^2\geq4ab</math>. If we take the square root of both sides (since both sides are nonnegative) and divide by 2, we have the well-known [[AMGM | Arithmetic Mean-Geometric Mean]] Inequality for 2 variables: <math>\frac{a+b}2\geq\sqrt{ab}</math>
+*The fraction,
-== Problems ==
+<math>\frac{ab+bc+ac}{(a+b+c)^2}</math>
-=== Introductory  ===
-*Find all integer solutions <math>x,y,z</math> of the equation <math>x^2+5y^2+10z^2=2z+6yz+4xy-1</math>. (No source nor solution)
-=== Intermediate ===
+where <math>a,b</math> and <math>c</math> are side lengths of a triangle, lies in the interval <math>(p,q]</math>, where <math>p</math> and <math>q</math> are rational numbers. Then, <math>p+q</math> can be expressed as <math>\frac{r}{s}</math>, where <math>r</math> and <math>s</math> are relatively prime positive integers. Find <math>r+s</math>. (Solution [[User:Ddk001#Solution_1.28Probably_official_MAA.2C_lots_of_proofs.29|here]])
-*Triangle <math>ABC</math> has <math>AB</math><math>=9</math> and <math>BC: AC=40: 41</math>. What is the largest area that this triangle can have? ([[1992 AIME Problems/Problem 13|Source]])
-== See also ==
+===Olympiad===
-* [[Optimization]]
+*Let <math>c</math> be the length of the [[hypotenuse]] of a [[right triangle]] whose two other sides have lengths <math>a</math> and <math>b</math>. Prove that <math>a+b\le c\sqrt{2}</math>. When does the equality hold? ([[1969 Canadian MO Problems/Problem 3|1969 Canadian MO]])
-[[Category:Inequality]]
+[[Category:Algebra]]
-[[Category:Theorems]]
+[[Category:Inequalities]]

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