Does triangle inequality hold for summations and sup?

In summary, the triangle inequality holds for infinite sums and sup|x+y|. If the series converge, the desired inequality cannot be false.
  • #1
gravenewworld
1,132
26
I know that the triangle inequality is lx+y|<= |x| +|y|

Does this hold for a summation of say Sigma (|xn+yn|) <= sigma|xn| + sigma|yn| for n=0 to infinity?

would this also work for sup|x+y| ??
 
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  • #2
gravenewworld said:
I know that the triangle inequality is lx+y|<= |x| +|y|

Does this hold for a summation of say Sigma (|xn+yn|) <= sigma|xn| + sigma|yn| for n=0 to infinity?
Yes:
[tex]\sum_{n=0}^{N}{|x_n+y_n|}[/tex]
[tex]\leq |x_0| + |y_0| + \sum_{n=1}^{N}{|x_{n}+y_n|}[/tex]
[tex]\leq |x_0| + |y_0| + |x_1| + |y_1| + \sum_{n=2}^{N}{|x_{n}+y_n|}[/tex]
...
[tex]\leq \sum_{n=0}^{N}{|x_n|} +\sum_{n=0}^{N}{|y_n|}[/tex]
 
Last edited:
  • #3
LeonhardEuler, the original poster asked about infinite sums, not sums to N (which I assume you used to represent some natural number). If the sum is infinite, then if xn = 1 for all n, and yn = -1 for all n, then [itex]\sum _{n=0} ^{\infty} |x_n|[/itex] and [itex]\sum _{n=0} ^{\infty} |y_n|[/itex] aren't even defined.

Suppose all the series in question do in fact converge. Then suppose the desired inequality is not true, then we'd have:

[tex]\sum _{n = 0} ^{\infty} |x_n + y_n| > \sum _{n=0} ^{\infty} |x_n| + \sum _{n=0} ^{\infty} |y_n|[/tex]

[tex]\lim _{N \to \infty} \left ( \sum _{n = 0} ^N |x_n + y_n|\right ) > \lim _{N \to \infty} \left ( \sum _{n = 0} ^N |x_n|\right ) + \lim _{N \to \infty} \left ( \sum _{n = 0} ^N |y_n|\right )[/tex]

[tex]\lim _{N \to \infty} \left ( \sum _{n = 0} ^N |x_n + y_n|\right ) > \lim _{N \to \infty} \left ( \sum _{n = 0} ^N |x_n| + \sum _{n = 0} ^N |y_n|\right )[/tex]

thus there is some N such that:

[tex]\sum _{n = 0} ^N |x_n + y_n| > \sum _{n = 0} ^N |x_n|\right + \sum _{n = 0} ^N |y_n|[/tex]

which LeonhardEuler has proven false.
 
  • #4
alright thanks guys!
 

1. Does the triangle inequality hold for summations and sup?

The triangle inequality states that for any three sides of a triangle, the sum of the lengths of any two sides must be greater than the length of the third side. This concept can also be applied to summations and sup (supremum) in mathematics.

The answer is yes, the triangle inequality does hold for summations and sup. This means that for any three numbers a, b, and c, the following equation must hold true: sup(a + b) ≤ sup(a) + sup(b). This can also be written as sup(a + b + c) ≤ sup(a) + sup(b) + sup(c).

2. What is the difference between summations and sup?

Summation, also known as sigma notation, is a mathematical notation used to represent the sum of a series of numbers. It is denoted by the symbol Σ and is commonly used in calculus and other branches of mathematics.

Sup, short for supremum, is a term used in set theory and mathematical analysis to refer to the least upper bound of a set of numbers. In simpler terms, it is the smallest number that is greater than or equal to all the numbers in a given set.

3. Can the triangle inequality be applied to any set of numbers?

Yes, the triangle inequality can be applied to any set of numbers, not just summations and sup. This includes sets of real numbers, complex numbers, and even matrices.

The triangle inequality can also be extended to more than three numbers. For example, for four numbers a, b, c, and d, the equation would be sup(a + b + c + d) ≤ sup(a) + sup(b) + sup(c) + sup(d).

4. How is the triangle inequality used in mathematics?

The triangle inequality is used in various areas of mathematics, including geometry, analysis, and number theory. It is a fundamental concept in proving theorems and solving problems related to triangles and other geometric shapes.

In analysis, the triangle inequality is used to prove important results such as the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality and the triangle inequality for integrals.

5. Does the triangle inequality hold for infinite sums?

Yes, the triangle inequality holds for infinite sums. This is known as the generalized triangle inequality, and it states that for any infinite sequence of numbers a1, a2, a3,..., the following equation must hold true: sup(Σn=1 an) ≤ Σn=1 sup(an).

This concept is important in areas such as real analysis and functional analysis, where infinite series and sequences play a significant role.

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