Mistake in solving this simple inequality?

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Suppose have the the inequality, where $x,y$ are variables,

$$ \frac{x+y}{2}\leq \frac{\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}(x+y) $$ Clearly, this is true if $\frac12 <\frac{\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}$, but if I try to solve it by adding/subtracting I get $$ x(1-\frac{2\alpha}{\beta+\gamma})\leq y(\frac{2\alpha}{\beta+\gamma} -1) = -y(1-\frac{2\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}) $$ which gives, (assuming I am not dividing by a negative number, if are then flip the inequality sign ) $$ x\leq -y $$ which is very different from $\frac12 <\frac{\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}$?

Why do these two methods give very different results (or are they same and I am overlooking something?)

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There are 2 best solutions below

1
On BEST ANSWER

Method 2:

$x(1-\frac{2\alpha}{\beta+\gamma})\leq y(\frac{2\alpha}{\beta+\gamma} -1) = -y(1-\frac{2\alpha}{\beta+\gamma})$

Case 1: $1 = \frac {2\alpha}{\beta + \gamma}$

Then $0 = 0$ and nothing can be determined.

Case 2: $1 > \frac {2\alpha}{\beta + \gamma}$

Then $x\le -y$

Case 3: $1 < \frac {2\alpha}{\beta + \gamma}$

Then $x \ge -y$.

Method 1:

$\frac{x+y}{2}\leq \frac{\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}(x+y)$

$(x+y) = \leq \frac{2\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}(x+y)$

Case 1: $1 = \frac {2\alpha}{\beta + \gamma}$

The $x + y = x+y$ and nothing can be determined.

Case 2: $1 > \frac {2\alpha}{\beta + \gamma}$

The if $x+y > 0$ we would have $x+1 > \frac {2\alpha}{\beta + \gamma}(x+y)$ but that is a contradiction.

So $x + y \le 0$ and $x \le -y$.

Case 3: $1 < \frac {2\alpha}{\beta + \gamma}$

If $x + y < 0$ we would have $x+1 > \frac {2\alpha}{\beta + \gamma}(x+y)$ but that is a contradiction.

So we have $x + y \ge 0$ and $x \ge -y$.

...

so both methods come to same conclusion.

3
On

We have three cases for $\beta+\gamma\neq 0$

  • $x+y> 0 $

$$\frac{x+y}{2}\leq \frac{\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}(x+y)\iff \frac{1}{2}\leq \frac{\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}$$

  • $x+y< 0 $

$$\frac{x+y}{2}\leq \frac{\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}(x+y)\iff \frac{1}{2}\geq \frac{\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}$$

  • $x+y= 0$ it is always true that

$$\frac{x+y}{2}\leq \frac{\alpha}{\beta+\gamma}(x+y)$$