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LFM Pure
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Problem Text
\begin{questionparts} \item Prove that if $x>0$ then $x+x^{-1}\ge2.\;$ I have a pair of six-faced dice, each with faces numbered from 1 to 6. The probability of throwing $i$ with the first die is $q_{i}$ and the probability of throwing $j$ with the second die is $r_{j}$ ($1\le i,j \le 6$). The two dice are thrown independently and the sum noted. By considering the probabilities of throwing 2, 12 and 7, show the sums $2, 3, \dots, 12$ are not equally likely. \item The first die described above is thrown twice and the two numbers on the die noted. Is it possible to find values of $q_{j}$ so that the probability that the numbers are the same is less than $1/36$? \end{questionparts}
Solution (Optional)
\begin{questionparts} \item Notice that if $x > 0$ we must have \begin{align*} && \left ( \sqrt{x} - \frac{1}{\sqrt{x}} \right)^2 &\geq 0 \\ \Leftrightarrow && x - 2 + x^{-1} & \geq 0 \\ \Leftrightarrow && x + x^{-1} & \geq 2 \end{align*} Let $S$ be the sum, and assume all probabilities are equal \begin{align*} && \mathbb{P}(S = 2) &= q_1 r_1 \\ && \mathbb{P}(S = 12) &= q_6 r_6 \\ && \mathbb{P}(S = 7) &= \sum_{i=1}^6 q_i r_{7-i} \\ \Rightarrow && q_1r_1 &= q_6r_6 \\ \Rightarrow && q_1r_6+q_6r_1 &\leq q_1r_1 \\ \Rightarrow && \frac{r_6}{r_1} + \frac{q_6}{q_1} &\leq 1 \\ \Rightarrow && q_1r_6+q_6r_1 &\leq q_6r_6 \\ \Rightarrow && \frac{q_1}{q_6} + \frac{r_1}{r_6} &\leq 1 \\ \Rightarrow && \frac{r_6}{r_1} + \frac{q_6}{q_1}+\frac{q_1}{q_6} + \frac{r_1}{r_6} &\leq 2\\ \text{but} && \frac{r_6}{r_1} + \frac{q_6}{q_1}+\frac{q_1}{q_6} + \frac{r_1}{r_6} &\geq 4 \end{align*} Since we have a contradiction they cannot all be equal. \item We would like $\displaystyle \sum q_i^2 \leq 1/36$ (subject to $\displaystyle \sum q_i = 1$, clearly this cannot be true since: \begin{align*} && 1 &= \left ( \sum_{i=1}^6 q_i \right)^2 \\ &&&= \sum_{i=1}^6 q_i^2 + \sum_{i \neq j} 2q_i q_j \\ &&&\leq \sum_{i=1}^6 q_i^2 + 5\sum_{i=1}^6 q_i^2 \\ &&&=6 \sum_{i=1}^6 q_i^2 \\ \Rightarrow && \sum_{i=1}^6 q_i^2 &\geq 1/6 > 1/36 \end{align*} [For a weaker solution to the last part, notice that the largest value of $q_i$ is $\geq 1/6$ and therefore $q_{max}^2 \geq 1/36$, but if equality holds then the other values must also be non-zero, and therefore the inequality cannot hold] \end{questionparts}
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