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The question:

Let $f$ be a twice differentiable real-valued function defined on $(a,\infty)$, where $a\in \mathbb R$. Let $M_i=\sup |f^{(i)}(x)|, i=0,1,2$. Then prove that $M_1^2\le 4M_0 M_2$.

My solution attempt:

Let $c\in (a,\infty)$, then by Taylor formula on $[c,x]$ we have, $$f(x)=f(c)+f'(c)(x-c)+\frac {f''(c)}2 (x-c)^2+o((x-c)^2), x\to c, x>c$$ or, $$\frac{f''(c)}2 (x-c)^2+f'(c)(x-c)+f(c)=f(x)+o((x-c)^2)\implies |\frac{f''(c)}2| (x-c)^2+|f'(c)|(x-c)+|f(c)|\ge 0\tag 1$$ $(1)$ being a quadratic on LHS, holds necessarily if $ |f'(c)|^2\le 2 |f(c)||f''(c)|\le 2M_0 M_2\le 4 M_0 M_2\implies |f'(c)|\le \sqrt {4M_0M_2}\implies {4M_0M_2}$ is an upper bound for $|f'(c)|$ and so $\sup |f'(c)|\le {4M_0M_2}\implies M_1^2\le4M_0M_2$.

Is that correct? Thanks.

Calvin Khor
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Koro
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  • I can't read your equation, its too long Also your question at the top of the body says $M_2^2 \le CM_0 M_1$ and this is wrong (you can show its wrong by scaling; 4 derivatives on left cannot be controlled by only 1 on right) – Calvin Khor Jul 12 '21 at 02:13
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    if you want mathematics to start on a new line, then you can use $$...$$ instead of recreating it with html <br/> tags. This, in combination with \tag{} which I don't think was made to be used inside $...$ was causing the problem. I also fixed the earlier mentioned typo – Calvin Khor Jul 12 '21 at 02:20
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    The implication in $(1)$ is vacously true; you are adding three positive quantities (since you assumed $x>c$). So it has nothing to do with the Taylor series.

    You then proceed to say "if $|f'(c)|^2\le\dots\le 4M_0M_2$", which means you are trying to prove the converse of the result. So this proof does not work. For a correct proof see link

    – Calvin Khor Jul 12 '21 at 02:33
  • Thanks a lot @CalvinKhor for the edit. I’ll take a look at the link you have shared shortly. – Koro Jul 12 '21 at 02:41
  • @CalvinKhor: Thanks a lot for pointing out the mistake in my proof. “The implication in (1) is vacuously true..”. Yes, I see that now. – Koro Jul 12 '21 at 02:43

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