# Need to prove that “If $x+y \ge 1$ then $x \ge \frac 12$ or $y \ge \frac 12$”

So I have this one homework assignment where I have to prove the following clause "If $x+y \ge 1$ then $x \ge \frac 12$ or $y \ge \frac 12$". I thought that if I assign $x=y$ and put it like "$2x \ge 1$" and solve the x, does it actually prove that either of them(or both) need to be greater than 1/2?

The clause "If $x + y ≥ 1$ then $x ≥ 1/2$ or $y ≥ 1/2$"

Edit x,y are real numbers

Sorry if this is too simple to post here or something but I've always had problems with the proving assignments which I really need to start learning as I started in university like two weeks ago. I am not asking for complete solution, tips are ok.

• If $x,y<\frac12, x+y<1$ – lab bhattacharjee Sep 11 '13 at 18:15
• I agree with @labbhattacharjee. Argue by contraposition. – Giuseppe Negro Sep 11 '13 at 18:20
• Without loss of generality, suppose that $x \geqslant y$. Then $2x \geqslant x + y \dotsc$ – Daniel Fischer Sep 11 '13 at 18:20
• @GiuseppeNegro, a more logical statement is at least one of $x,y$ is $\ge\frac12$ if $x+y\ge1$ – lab bhattacharjee Sep 11 '13 at 18:30
• @labbhattacharjee Isn't the negation of the If "x + y ≥ 1" then x ≥ 1/2 or y ≥ 1/2" clause "There are real numbers x and y, x ≥ 1/2 or y ≥ 1/2 if x+y < 1 ? Or did I get it completely wrong. – Samuli Lehtonen Sep 11 '13 at 18:44

HINT: Suppose that it’s not true, i.e., that $x<\frac12$ and $y<\frac12$; what can you then say about $x+y$?
• @Samuli: You could say something like this: If $x<\frac12$ and $y<\frac12$, then $x+y<\frac12+\frac12=1$, contradicting the hypothesis that $x+y\ge 1$. Therefore it’s not the case that both $x$ and $y$ are less than $\frac12$, so either $x\ge\frac12$ or $y\ge\frac12$ (or both). (You don’t actually need proof by contradiction here: this can also be phrased as a proof of the contrapositive. The contrapositive of a statement p implies q is not-p implies not-q; the two are logically equivalent, so proving one proves the other.) – Brian M. Scott Sep 11 '13 at 19:15
You have $\max(x,y)+\min(x,y) \ge 1$. Since $\max(x,y)\ge\min(x,y)$, this becomes $2 \max(x,y) \ge 1$, or in other words, $$\max(x,y) \ge \frac{1}{2}$$