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Exercise 1732Algebra › InequalitiesL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Cauchy-Schwarz and Jensen

#Cauchy-Schwarz#Jensen#convexity

Statement

Let x1,…,xn>0x_1,\ldots,x_n>0 with ∑xi=1\sum x_i=1. Prove that
∑i=1n1xi≥n2.\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{1}{x_i}\ge n^2.

Hint

Apply Cauchy-Schwarz to ∑xi⋅1xi\sum\sqrt{x_i}\cdot\frac{1}{\sqrt{x_i}}, or use the convexity of x↦1/xx\mapsto1/x.

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Solution

Cauchy-Schwarz.
(∑i=1nxi⋅1xi)2≤(∑xi)(∑1xi).\left(\sum_{i=1}^n\sqrt{x_i}\cdot\frac{1}{\sqrt{x_i}}\right)^2\le\left(\sum x_i\right)\left(\sum\frac{1}{x_i}\right).
The LHS is n2n^2, so n2≤1⋅∑1xin^2\le 1\cdot\sum\frac{1}{x_i}.

Conclusion. ∑1xi≥n2\sum\frac{1}{x_i}\ge n^2, with equality iff all xi=1/nx_i=1/n.

Jensen approach. The function f(x)=1/xf(x)=1/x is convex on x>0x>0, so 1n∑f(xi)≥f(xˉ)=f(1/n)=n\frac1n\sum f(x_i)\ge f(\bar x)=f(1/n)=n, giving ∑1xi≥n2\sum\frac{1}{x_i}\ge n^2.