Refinement of an inequality of H. Kober (Q2367912)

Let \(\alpha\in]0,1/2]\). A proof is offered that the inequality \[ \sum^ n_{\ell=1} p_ \ell a_ \ell -\prod^ n_{\ell=1} a^{p_ \ell}_ \ell \leq \sum_{1\leq j<k\leq n} (a^ \alpha_ j-a^ \alpha_ k)(a^{1-\alpha}_ j-a^{1-\alpha}_ k) \] holds for all \(a_ \ell>0\), \(p_ \ell >0\) \((\ell=1,\dots,n)\) with \(\sum p_ \ell=1\) iff \(\alpha\geq 1/n\). \{The importance of such inequalities is not just theoretical. Often in applications the geometric mean should be used but the arithmetic mean is easier to calculate. Then such estimations of the difference are useful; see, e.g., the reviewer, Grazer Math. Ber. 315, 1-12 (1991; Zbl 0751.90030), p. 11\}.