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Mon 20 Nov, 2006 10:59 am
Ok, given:
(a/b)<(c/d)
how does one prove:
(a/b)<((a+c)/(b+d))<(c/d)
for all values of a, b, c and d? How do you prove it algebraically; not by substituting values to see it the inequality holds?
I tried this:
ad<bc
and
abd+ad^2<abd+bcd<b^2c+bcd
Then what? Please help!
ad < bc is a good start.
Now prove each of the inequalities separately.
Show that a/b < (a+c)/(b+d). It will be similar to how you got ad < bc.
Do the same for (a+c)/(b+d) < c/d.
Oh! Oops!! Actually that was really simple

! I feel really embarrased! Thanks for the nudge in the right direction markr!