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Exercise 1733Algebra › InequalitiesOlympiadAdded 3 Nov 2026

Chebyshev's sum inequality

#Chebyshev#sum inequality#monotone sequences

Statement

Let a1≤⋯≤ana_1\le\cdots\le a_n and b1≤⋯≤bnb_1\le\cdots\le b_n. Prove that
1n∑i=1naibi≥(1n∑i=1nai)(1n∑i=1nbi).\frac1n\sum_{i=1}^n a_ib_i\ge\left(\frac1n\sum_{i=1}^n a_i\right)\left(\frac1n\sum_{i=1}^n b_i\right).

Hint

Use the rearrangement inequality, or expand ∑i,j(ai−aj)(bi−bj)≥0\sum_{i,j}(a_i-a_j)(b_i-b_j)\ge0.

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Solution

Expansion.
∑i,j=1n(ai−aj)(bi−bj)=∑i,jaibi+∑i,jajbj−∑i,jaibj−∑i,jajbi.\sum_{i,j=1}^n(a_i-a_j)(b_i-b_j)=\sum_{i,j}a_ib_i+\sum_{i,j}a_jb_j-\sum_{i,j}a_ib_j-\sum_{i,j}a_jb_i.
The first two terms each equal n∑aibin\sum a_ib_i (renaming jj to ii). The last two each equal (∑ai)(∑bj)(\sum a_i)(\sum b_j). So
∑i,j(ai−aj)(bi−bj)=2n∑aibi−2(∑ai)(∑bj).\sum_{i,j}(a_i-a_j)(b_i-b_j)=2n\sum a_ib_i-2\left(\sum a_i\right)\left(\sum b_j\right).

Non-negativity. Since ai≤aj  ⟺  bi≤bja_i\le a_j\iff b_i\le b_j (both increasing), (ai−aj)(bi−bj)≥0(a_i-a_j)(b_i-b_j)\ge0 for all i,ji,j. So the sum is ≥0\ge0.

Conclusion.
n∑aibi≥(∑ai)(∑bj),n\sum a_ib_i\ge\left(\sum a_i\right)\left(\sum b_j\right),
which is exactly the claimed inequality.