# Smooth approximation of absolute value inequalities

Is there an analytic approximation to the inequality:

$$\sum_{i=1}^{n} |x_i| \leq \delta ?$$

I would like to replace the above inequality with a smooth inequality that is "valid" in the sense that if the approximate smooth inequality is satisfied then the original inequality will also be satisfied. It would also be great if the approximating inequality is tight. I have an intuitive idea of "tightness" but don't know how to formalize it for $n > 1$.

Thanks for any help, Ravi

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Please define $x_i$. The question as it stands now is a good candidate to be closed as "not a real question". –  Sasha Jul 18 '12 at 15:49

For every positive $u$, the functions $f_u$ and $g_u$ defined by $$f_u(x)=\frac{x^2}{\sqrt{x^2+u^2}},\qquad g_u(x)=\sqrt{x^2+u^2},$$ are smooth and such that, for every $x$, $$f_u(x)\leqslant|x|\leqslant g_u(x).$$Furthermore, the error one makes when replacing $|x|$ by $f_u(x)$ or by $g_u(x)$ is at most $$g_u(x)-f_u(x)=\frac{u^2}{\sqrt{x^2+u^2}}\leqslant u,$$ uniformly on $x$.

Hence, for small (quantifiable) positive values of $u$, $\sum\limits_{i=1}^nf_u(x_i)$ and/or $\sum\limits_{i=1}^ng_u(x_i)$ are smooth and accurate approximations of $\sum\limits_{i=1}^n|x_i|$. For example, every $u\leqslant\varepsilon/n$ yields an error at most $\varepsilon$.

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I was thinking of using $\sqrt{x^2+\alpha^2}$ where the error is bounded by $$\color{#C00000}{0\le\sqrt{x^2+\alpha^2}-|x|}=\frac{\alpha^2}{\sqrt{x^2+\alpha^2}‌​+|x|}\le\frac{\alpha^2}{\sqrt{x^2+\alpha^2}}\color{#C00000}{\le\alpha}$$ but the two functions are nice. (+1) –  robjohn Jul 21 '12 at 7:48
@robjohn (Thanks.) The function $f_u$ is a tiny bit more accurate than the lower bound $\sqrt{x^2+u}-\sqrt{u}$ when $x$ is small, but all these are similar, really. –  Did Jul 21 '12 at 8:13
What about the approxximation g(x) = x erf(\frac{x}{\sigma})? It seems that is more accurate than f_u(x) and g_u(x). –  Ravi Jul 22 '12 at 17:01
@Ravi: Yes, what about it? More accurate in which sense? Note that, when $u\to0$, the supremum norm of the difference goes to zero. –  Did Jul 22 '12 at 20:32

The original inequality defines a nonsmooth body (cross-polytope, I think is the name). We want to approximate it by a smooth inscribed body.My proposal is to replace the nondifferentiable function $|x_i|$ with $\sqrt{x_n^2+\epsilon}$ which is differentiable and greater than the original function. So if the new inequality holds, so does the old. The smaller $\epsilon$ you take, the "tighter" is the approximation.

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I found that $|x|$ can be approximated by the smooth function $g(x) = x \cdot \mathrm{erf}(\frac{x}{\sigma})$. We can get accurate approximation by letting $\sigma$ go to $0$.

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