Can you prove this inequality challenge involving positive integers?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around proving an inequality involving positive integers, specifically the relationship between factorials and powers of sums of integers. The scope includes mathematical reasoning and potentially combinatorial interpretations.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents the inequality to be proven: $\dfrac{(a+b)!}{(a+b)^{a+b}}\le \dfrac{a! \cdot b!}{a^ab^b}$.
  • Another participant expresses confidence in the original poster's ability to solve inequality problems.
  • A third participant appreciates the interesting nature of the posed problem.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion does not appear to have reached any consensus, as no proofs or counterarguments have been presented yet.

Contextual Notes

The discussion lacks detailed mathematical steps or assumptions that might be necessary for proving the inequality.

anemone
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Let $a$ and $b$ be positive integers. Show that $\dfrac{(a+b)!}{(a+b)^{a+b}}\le \dfrac{a! \cdot b!}{a^ab^b}$.
 
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Rewrite the inequality as

$a^{a} \ b^{b} \dfrac{(a+b)!}{a! \ b!} \leq (a+b)^{a+b}$

This inequality can be expressed as

${{a+b}\choose{b}} \ a^{a} \ b^{b} \leq \sum_{k=0}^{a+b} {{a+b}\choose{k}} a^{a+b-k} \ b^{k}$

The left-hand side of the inequality equals the term in the sum on the right side with $k=b$, so the result follows.
 
Hi Petek,

It seems to me that solving or proving any given inequalities problems is your strong suit!:o

Thanks for participating by the way!
 
Thanks for posing such interesting problems!
 

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