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Conference rusure::math

Title:Mathematics at DEC
Moderator:RUSURE::EDP
Created:Mon Feb 03 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2083
Total number of notes:14613

1732.0. "Crux Mathematicorum 1818" by RUSURE::EDP (Always mount a scratch monkey.) Wed Mar 17 1993 10:48

    Proposed by Ed Barbeau, University of Toronto.
    
    Prove that, for 0 <= x <= 1 and a positive integer k,
    
    	(1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] >= 1.
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1732.1how about the old way STAR::ABBASIi am therfore i thinkWed Mar 17 1993 12:3413
    >Prove that, for 0 <= x <= 1 and a positive integer k,
    >	      (1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] >= 1.

    can one solve this by saying
    y=  (1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)]
    
    find y' , make y'=0, solve for x, find y'', find which x from last
    step that makes y'' >0, that is the min x, if the min x is not in
    [1,0], then we are done, else plug x back in y to see that y>=1 at that
    x.
    
    \nasser
    
1732.3Inverse?VMSDEV::HALLYBFish have no concept of fire.Wed Mar 17 1993 17:0611
>	Perhaps after differentiating, you get some interesting recursion
> relating f(k) to f(k-1).   I can't think of any other way this apparently
> arbitrary formula could be interesting.
    
    Implying that perhaps this is no more fun than proving |x| + 1 >= 1 ?
    
    Gut hacking suggests for fixed k, (1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] is monotonic.
    If it has an inverse that is readily computed (and differentiated) it
    may have applications as a "squashing function", used in neural networks.
    
      John
1732.4STAR::ABBASIi am therfore i thinkWed Mar 17 1993 18:0717
    .3
    >Gut hacking suggests for fixed k, (1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] is monotonic.

    yes, if it monotonic increasing, we know that x=0 the above is 1, so
    we are done, but how to show that function is monotonic increasing or
    decreasing over some range?

    so for monotonic increasing , this means we have to find the points the 
    derivative is zero, and at each point check that y'' is always >0 (or
    0?) at least ?  

     i have a feeling there is solution to this without using derivatives
    and all, i think there is some trick or short cut to do it.

    \bye
    \nasser

1732.5Proof by Mathematical InductionMARX::PADHYFri Mar 19 1993 15:0455

To prove that for 0 <= x <= 1 and a positive integer k,

	(1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] >= 1.


This could be easily proved by Mathematical induction.

Basis: k = 1.
------------

Then LHS becomes:

	(1+x)^1 * [x + (1-x)^(1+1)] 
     =  (1+x) * [x + (1-x)^2]
     =  (1+x) * [1 -x + x^2]
     =  (1 + x^3) 
	
	which is >=1 for 0 <= x <= 1.	(Proved).


Next assume that the identity holds for any positive integer k:
--------------------------------------------------------------
i.e. assume for k > 0, and 0 <= x <= 1,

	(1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] >= 1			(1)

     
Now multiply both sides by (1-x^2) which is a positive value. Then (1) becomes,

	(1+x)^(k+1) * [x(1-x) + (1-x)^(k+2)] >= (1-x^2)		 

    =>  (1+x)^(k+1) * [x - x^2 + (1-x)^(k+2)] >= (1-x^2)

    =>  (1+x)^(k+1) * [x + (1-x)^(k+2)]  >= 1 - x^2 + (x^2) * (1+x)^(k+1)

    =>  (1+x)^(k+1) * [x + (1-x)^(k+2)]  >= 1 + (x^2) * [(1+x)^(k+1) - 1]

	Using Binomial theorm, it is easy to see that the RHS is always >= 1.

	Hence, the identity holds for for k+1 also.	(proved).


Conclusion:
-----------
     The identity holds for all positive values of k, and x lying between 
     0 and 1.


Have fun.

Bud Padhy


1732.6are you sure there is no typo here?STAR::ABBASIi am therfore i thinkFri Mar 19 1993 16:0017
>	(1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] >= 1			(1)
>Now multiply both sides by (1-x^2) which is a positive value. Then (1) becomes,
>	(1+x)^(k+1) * [x(1-x) + (1-x)^(k+2)] >= (1-x^2)		 
    
    i dont see how you did this step?
    
    (1-x^2) * { (1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] }  
    
    is the same as
    
    (1+x)^(k+1) * [x(1-x) +(1-x)^(k+2)]
    
    how, i dont see it?
    
    thanks,
    \nasser
    
1732.7Here is the stepMARX::PADHYFri Mar 19 1993 16:1520
re .6

Note that (1-x^2) = (1+x) * (1-x)

Hence,

    (1-x^2) * { (1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] }  
	
  = (1+x) * (1-x) * { (1+x)^k * [x + (1-x)^(k+1)] }  
  
  Now multiply (1+x) with (1+x)^k and (1-x) with [x + (1-x)^(k+1)]. The above
  is then

  = (1+x)^(k+1) * [x(1-x) +(1-x)^(k+2)]
 
Hope this helps!!

Bud