Generalization of some results of H. Burkill and L. Mirsky and some related results (Q800512)

Let T be a compact interval in \({\mathbb{R}}^ k\), f a continuous real valued function on T with \(f(a+h)-f(a)\leq f(b+h)-f(b)\) whenever a, b, \(a+h\), \(b+h\) are in T, and \(h\geq 0, a\leq b,\) (where these inequalities mean that the inequality holds for each coordinate.) If then \(x_ i\), \(1\leq i\leq n,\) are points of T, \(p_ j\) are positive numbers, \(1\leq j\leq n,\) and if \(P_ j=\sum^{j}_{1}p_ i,1\leq j\leq n,\) and if \[ x_ 1\leq A_ 2(x_ 1,x_ 2,p_ 1,p_ 2)\leq...\leq A_ n(x_ 1,...,x_ n;p_ 1,...,p_ n)=A_ n(x;p) \] \[ (A_ j(x_ 1,...,x_ j;p_ 1,...,p_ j)=(1/P_ j)\sum^{j}_{1}p_ ix_ i), \] or the reverse inequalities hold, then \[ (*)P_ nf(A_ n(x;p))-\sum p_ if(x_ i)\leq 0. \] If \(f(x_ 1,...,x_ n)=x_ 1x_ 2...x_ n\) this reduces to a result of \textit{H. Burkill} and \textit{L. Mirsky} [Period. Math. Hung. 6, 3-16 (1975; Zbl 0274.26011)]. The author further extends this result by showing that the left hand side of (*) is, as a function of the index set, sub-additive. If the \(p_ i\) are real numbers, \(p_ 1>0, p_ i\leq 0, 2\leq i\leq n, P_ n>0,\) and if \(A_ n(x;p)\in T\) then the reverse of (*) holds and, in the extension, the function of the index set is superadditive.