How do you prove this consequence of the triangle inequality?

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The discussion focuses on proving the inequality |(||x|| - ||y||)| ≤ ||x - y|| for vectors x and y in R^n. Participants explore using the triangle inequality to derive the desired relation by manipulating expressions involving ||x|| and ||y||. The proof involves setting x = z - y and applying the triangle inequality to establish bounds on ||z||. By deriving two inequalities, ||x|| - ||y|| ≤ ||x - y|| and ||y|| - ||x|| ≤ ||x - y||, the conclusion follows that |(||x|| - ||y||)| ≤ ||x - y||. The discussion emphasizes the straightforward nature of the proof once the correct approach is identified.
AxiomOfChoice
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I should know how to do this, but I just can't figure it out. Should be a piece of cake. How do you prove, for x,y\in \mathbb{R}^n:

<br /> \left| (||x|| - ||y||) \right| \leq ||x-y||<br />
 
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We have:
||x+y||\leq{||}x||+||y||

Now, set x=z-y

Then, we get:
||z||\leq{||z-y||}+||y||,
For completely arbitrary z and y.

utilize this to derive the desired relation, i.e:
-||u-v||\leq{||u||}-||v||\leq{||}||u-v||
 
AxiomOfChoice said:
I should know how to do this, but I just can't figure it out. Should be a piece of cake. How do you prove, for x,y\in \mathbb{R}^n:

<br /> \left| (||x|| - ||y||) \right| \leq ||x-y||<br />

||x||=||x-y+y||\leq||x-y||+||y|| ======>

||x||-||y||\leq||x-y||............1

||y||= ||y-x+x||\leq||x-y||+||x||======>

||y||-||x||\leq||x-y|| =======>

||x||-||y||\geq-||x-y||............2

from (1) and (2) we get:


-||x-y||\leq ||x||-||y||\leq ||x-y|| \Longleftrightarrow|(||x||-||y||)|\leq||x-y||
 

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