A Generalization of the Rearrangement Inequality

Jan Holstermann

Abstract
In this article we present a generalization of the rearrangement inequal-
ity and show its applications by solving a USAJMO problem. The classi-
cal rearrangement inequality deals with two sequences ai ,P bi , i = 1, 2, ..., n,
n
which
Pn are both sorted
Pn in ascending order. It states that i=1 bi an−i+1 6
i=1 bi aσ(i) 6 i=1 bi ai for any permutation σ of the numbers 1, 2, ..., n.
In the generalization the bi aj terms are replaced by fi (aj ).

1 Main Result
To start off we will prove the version with only two summands on each side.
Lemma 1. Let a1 6 a2 be real numbers and fi : [a1 , a2 ] → R, i = 1, 2 be
functions, such that f10 (x) 6 f20 (x) for all x ∈ [a1 , a2 ]. We have

f1 (a2 ) + f2 (a1 ) 6 f1 (a1 ) + f2 (a2 ) (1)

Proof. We have

f10 (x) 6 f20 (x)

Z a2 Z a2
⇒ f10 (x)dx 6 f20 (x)dx
a1 a1
⇔ f1 (a2 ) − f1 (a1 ) 6 f2 (a2 ) − f2 (a1 )
⇔ f1 (a2 ) + f2 (a1 ) 6 f1 (a1 ) + f2 (a2 ).

Let’s see our lemma in action with the first examples.

Example 1. Let a, b be real numbers, such that a 6 b. Prove that

(a + 1)2 + 2eb > (b + 1)2 + 2ea .

Solution. Define f1 (x) = (x + 1)2 and f2 (x) = 2ex . Note that

f10 (x) = 2(x + 1) 6 2ex = f20 (x).

Mathematical Reflections 5 (2017) 1

Thus, we can conclude that
f1 (a) + f2 (b) > f1 (b) + f2 (a),
which is exactly the inequality we wanted to prove.

Example 2. (AM-GM) Let a, b be nonnegative real numbers. Prove that

a+b √
> ab.
2
√
Solution. Let a 6 b, f1 (x) = x+b2 and f2 (x) = xb. For x ∈ [a, b] we have
q
b
0 1 x
f1 (x) = 6 = f20 (x).
2 2
Therefore, our lemma asserts that
a+b √
− ab = f1 (a) − f2 (a) > f1 (b) − f2 (b) = b − b = 0,
2
which finishes the proof.

Now, we are prepared to attack the main result.

Definition 1. Let σ and π be permutations of the numbers 1, 2, ..., n. We say
that σ strongly minorates π if for any k ∈ {1, 2, ..., n} the following condition
holds: For any i ∈ {1, 2, ..., n−k+1} the ith largest term of σ(k), σ(k+1), ..., σ(n)
is less than or equal to the ith largest term of π(k), π(k + 1), ..., π(n).
Theorem 1. Let a1 6 a2 6 ... 6 an be real numbers and fi : [a1 , an ] →
R, i = 1, 2, ..., n be functions, such that f10 (x) 6 f20 (x) 6 ... 6 fn0 (x) for all
x ∈ [a1 , an ]. For the permutations σ, π of the numbers 1, 2, ..., n, such that σ
strongly minorates π, we have
n
X n
X
fi (aσ(i) ) 6 fi (aπ(i) ). (2)
i=1 i=1

Proof. Let di (j) = fi (aj ) − fi−1 (aj ). Our lemma translates to di (j) 6 di (k) for
any j 6 k. Thus, we have
n
X n
X
fi (aσ(i) ) = f1 (aσ(i) ) + d2 (σ(i)) + d3 (σ(i)) + ... + di (σ(i))
i=1 i=1
Xn n
X
= f1 (aσ(i) ) + dj (σ(j)) + dj (σ(j + 1)) + ... + dj (σ(n))
i=1 j=2
Xn Xn
6 f1 (aπ(i) ) + dj (π(j)) + dj (π(j + 1)) + ... + dj (π(n))
i=1 j=2
Xn
= fi (aπ(i) ).
i=1

Mathematical Reflections 5 (2017) 2

Corollary 1. Let a1 6 a2 6 ... 6 an be real numbers and fi : [a1 , an ] → R, i =
1, 2, ..., n be functions, such that f10 (x) 6 f20 (x) 6 ... 6 fn0 (x) for all x ∈ [a1 , an ].
For any permutation σ of the numbers 1, 2, ..., n we have
n
X n
X n
X
fi (an−i+1 ) 6 fi (aσ(i) ) 6 fi (ai ). (3)
i=1 i=1 i=1

Proof. For the upper bound let π(x) = x. For the lower bound let σ(x) =
n − x + 1.
Remark. Setting fi (x) = bi x we get the classical Rearrangement inequality.

Let’s do a real life problem.

Example 3. (USAJMO 2012) Let a, b, c be positive real numbers. Prove that

a3 + 3b3 b3 + 3c3 c3 + 3a3 2
+ + > (a2 + b2 + c2 ).
5a + b 5b + c 5c + a 3
Solution. WLOG let a = min{a, b, c}. Consider the case b 6 c. Define ft (x) =
t3 +3x3
5t+x . Note that

∂ ∂ t3 + 3x3 5t3 + 3t2 x + 225tx2 + 15x3

=− 6 0.
∂t ∂x 5t + x (5t + x)3
We conclude that ft0 (x) is monotonically decreasing in t, so fa0 (x) > fb0 (x) >
fc0 (x). Thus, we have
fa0 (b) + fb0 (c) + fc0 (a) > fa0 (a) + fb0 (b) + fc0 (c)
a3 + 3b3 b3 + 3c3 c3 + 3a3 a3 + 3a3 b3 + 3b3 c3 + 3c3
⇔ + + > + +
5a + b 5b + c 5c + a 5a + a 5b + b 5c + c
2 2 2 2
= (a + b + c ).
3
The other case is analogous.

Example 4. (Special Case of Karamata) Let f be a convex, differentiable

function and a, b, d be real numbers, such that 0 6 d 6 b−a
2 . We have

f (a) + f (b) > f (a + d) + f (b − d). (4)

Solution. Define f1 (x) = f a + d2 + x and f2 (x) = f b − d2 + x . Since f is

convex its derivative is monotonically increasing. As a + d2 6 b − d2 , we can

conclude that
   
d d
f a + + x 6 f b − + x ⇔ f10 (x) 6 f20 (x).
0 0
2 2
Thus, we have
       
d d d d
f1 − + f2 > f1 + f2 − ⇔ f (a) + f (b) > f (a + d) + f (b − d).
2 2 2 2

Mathematical Reflections 5 (2017) 3

2 Exercises
Disclaimer: Although all problems can be solved by rearranging, there are also
other ways to tackle these problems.

Problem 1. Let a, b, c be positive and m, n be nonnegative real numbers. Prove

that
am+2 bm+2 cm+2 am+1 + bm+1 + cm+1
+ + > .
na + b nb + c nc + a n+1
Problem 2. (Turkey JBMO TST 2013) Let a, b, c be positive real numbers,
such that a + b + c = 1. Prove that
a4 + 5b4 b4 + 5c4 c4 + 5a4
+ + > 1 − ab − bc − ca.
a(a + 2b) b(b + 2c) c(c + 2a)

Problem 3. (Korea National Olympiad 2013) Let a, b, c be positive real num-

bers, such that ab + bc + ca = 3. Prove that

(a + b)3 (b + c)3 (c + a)3

p + p + p > 12.
3
2(a + b)(a2 + b2 ) 3
2(b + c)(b2 + c2 ) 3
2(c + a)(c2 + a2 )

Problem 4. Let f : R → R be a convex, differentiable function, such that

f (t) > t ∀t ∈ R. Prove that for all real numbers x we have

f (x) + f (f (f (x))) > 2f (f (x)).

Mathematical Reflections 5 (2017) 4