Natural numbers inequality $na^{n-1}b\leq(n-1)a^n+b^n$ by induction

inductioninequalitynatural numbersproof-writingrearrangement-inequality

Let $a$ and $b$ be arbitrary natural numbers and $n$ some positive integer. How to prove the inequality
$$na^{n-1}b\leq(n-1)a^n+b^n$$
by induction for all $n$?
This is related to this result, and, using the method described there, I can prove the inequality when $a\leq b$, but I'm supposed to prove for arbitrary natural numbers. What to do in the case $b<a$?

Best Answer

It's just AM-GM: $$(n-1)a^n+b^n\geq n\sqrt[n]{(a^{n})^{n-1}b^n}=na^{n-1}b.$$

Also, by the assumption of an induction and by Rearrangement we obtain: $$na^{n+1}+b^{n+1}=(n-1)a^{n+1}+ab^n+a^{n+1}+b^{n+1}-ab^n\geq$$ $$\geq na^{n-1}ba+a^{n+1}+b^{n+1}-ab^n=$$ $$=(n+1)a^nb+a^{n+1}+b^{n+1}-a^nb-ab^n\geq(n+1)a^nb.$$ We can get the last inequality also by the following way: $$a^{n+1}+b^{n+1}-a^nb-ab^n=(a^n-b^n)(a-b)\geq0.$$

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