Explain why [tex] \sqrt{xy} \leq \frac{x+y}{2}[/tex] for any two positive real numbers x and y, [tex]x,y \neq 0 [/tex] (The geometric mean is always less than the arithmetic mean.)

Respuesta :

[tex]\large\rm \dfrac{x+y}{2}\ge \sqrt{xy}[/tex]

Squaring each side gives us,
[tex]\large\rm \dfrac{(x+y)^2}{4}\ge xy[/tex]

Multiply by 4,
[tex]\large\rm (x+y)^2\ge 4xy[/tex]

and subtract,
[tex]\large\rm (x+y)^2-4xy\ge 0[/tex]


Expand out the square,
[tex]\large\rm x^2+2xy+y^2-4xy\ge0[/tex]

Combine like-terms,
[tex]\large\rm x^2-2xy+y^2\ge0[/tex]

This can now be written as a different perfect square,
[tex]\large\rm (x-y)^2\ge0[/tex]

Recall that a squared value is always positive. So (x-y)^2 is always greater than zero.

That should "explain it" sufficiently unless you need to do some sort of formal proof.