How to prove Lagrange's identity for real numbers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cordyceps
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Identity Proof
cordyceps
Messages
50
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Prove Lagrange's identity for real numbers

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LagrangesIdentity.html

The Attempt at a Solution



I tried one of the methods used in proving the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality (Ax^2 + Bx + C is greater than or equal to zero, where a = the sum from k=1 to n of (ak)^2, b = the sum from k=1 to n of (ak*bk), and c = the sum from k=1 to n of (bk)^2), but I couldn't get very far because I don't understand the last term of the equation's right side. Anyone have any ideas on how to start the problem? Thanks.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
All that was given in the textbook was a proof of the cauchy-schwarz inequality. The binet-cauchy identity, which was used in some of the proofs I glanced at, was never mentioned.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
Back
Top