On an inequality of W.

Sierpinski
Alexandru Lupaş
Gazeta Matematică - (A) , V , Nr.3-4 , (1984) 189.

The aim of this note is to present a short proof of the following result
established by W. Sierpinski [2] (see also [1]) :

Theorem. If a = (a1 , a2 , ..., an ) , is a system of positive numbers, then

An (a)n−1 Hn (a) ≥ Gn (a)n ≥ An (a)Hn (a)n−1 ,

where Hn (a) , Gn (a) , An (a) denote harmonic, geometric and arithmetic
means of the numbers a1 , a2 , ..., an .

Proof. For n ∈ {1, 2} hold the equality cases. Further suppose n ≥ 3 .

Let us suppose that 0 < a1 ≤ a2 ≤ ... ≤ an . If
1
zk = (ak − a1 )(an − ak ) ,
nak
then zk ≥ 0 , k = 1, 2, ..., n , and
n
X a1 an
zk = a1 + an − An (a) − .
k=1
Hn (a)
Therefore
a1 an
(1) a1 + an − An (a) ≥ .
Hn (a)
If x = (x1 , x2 , ..., xn−1 ) , with



 x1 = a2





x2 = a3
..
 .



 xn−2 = an−1


 xn−1 = a1 + an − An (a) ,

1
then An−1 (x) = An (a) . Supposing that An−1 (x) ≥ Gn−1 (x) we obtain

(2) An (a)n−1 ≥ a2 a3 ...an−1 (a1 + an − An (a)) .

Using (1) , from (2) we get

1
An (a)n−1 ≥ a1 a2 a3 ...an ,
Hn (a)

that is An (a)n−1 Hn (a) ≥ G’n (a)n . “

1 1 1
If 1/a denotes the system , , ..., , then
a1 a2 an

An (1/a)n−1 Hn (1/a) ≥ Gn (1/a)n

is the same with Gn (a)n ≥ An (a)Hn (a)n−1 . From (1)-(2) we conclude that,
when n ≥ 3 , the equality cases hold if and only if a1 = a2 = ... = an .

References
[1] D.S. Mitrinović and P.M.Vasić ,On a theorem of W. Sierpinski
concerning means,
Publ.Rlektrotehn.Fak.Ser.Mat.Fiz. No. 544-No.576 (1976) 113-114.

[2] W. Sierpinski , Sur une inégalité pour la moyenne arithmétic ,

geometrique et harmonique , Warsch. Sitzungsber., 2 (1909) 354-357.