Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications, Seventh Edition

Published by McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN 10: 0073383090
ISBN 13: 978-0-07338-309-5

Chapter 1 - Section 1.8 - Proof Methods and Strategy - Exercises - Page 108: 24

Answer

The quadratic mean is greater or equal to the arithmetic mean

Work Step by Step

Let $x$ and $y$ be two real numbers. The arithmetic mean is: $M_a=\dfrac{x+y}{2}$, while the quadratic mean is: $M_q=\sqrt{\dfrac{x^2+y^2}{2}}$ We have: $(x-y)^2\geq 0$ $x^2-2xy+y^2\geq 0$ $x^2+y^2\geq 2xy$ $x^2+y^2+x^2+y^2\geq 2xy+x^2+y^2$ $2(x^2+y^2)\geq (x+y)^2$ $\dfrac{2(x^2+y^2)}{4}\geq \dfrac{(x+y)^2}{4}$ $\dfrac{x^2+y^2}{2}\geq \left(\dfrac{x+y}{2}\right)^2$ $\sqrt{\dfrac{x^2+y^2}{2}}\geq \dfrac{x+y}{2}$ $M_q\geq M_a$ Therefore the quadratic mean is greater or equal to the arithmetic mean.
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