# Ahlswede-Daykin inequality

four-functions inequality

An inequality in which an inequality for four functions on a finite distributive lattice applies also to additive extensions of the functions on lattice subsets. Let be a finite distributive lattice (see also FKG inequality), such as the power set of a finite set ordered by proper inclusion. For subsets , of , define and . If or is empty, . Given , let .

The Ahlswede–Daykin inequality says that if , , , and map into such that

then

See [a1] or [a2], [a4], [a7] for a proof.

The inequality is very basic and is used in proofs of other inequalities (cf. [a2], [a3], [a4], [a5], [a7]), including the FKG inequality [a6] and the Fishburn–Shepp inequality [a3], [a8].

#### References

 [a1] R. Ahlswede, D.E. Daykin, "An inequality for the weights of two families, their unions and intersections" Z. Wahrscheinlichkeitsth. verw. Gebiete , 43 (1978) pp. 183–185 [a2] B. Bollobás, "Combinatorics" , Cambridge Univ. Press (1986) [a3] P.C. Fishburn, "A correlational inequality for linear extensions of a poset" Order , 1 (1984) pp. 127–137 [a4] P.C. Fishburn, "Correlation in partially ordered sets" Discrete Appl. Math. , 39 (1992) pp. 173–191 [a5] P.C. Fishburn, P.G. Doyle, L.A. Shepp, "The match set of a random permutation has the FKG property" Ann. of Probab. , 16 (1988) pp. 1194–1214 [a6] C.M. Fortuin, P.N. Kasteleyn, J. Ginibre, "Correlation inequalities for some partially ordered sets" Comm. Math. Phys. , 22 (1971) pp. 89–103 [a7] R.L. Graham, "Applications of the FKG inequality and its relatives" , Proc. 12th Internat. Symp. Math. Programming , Springer (1983) pp. 115–131 [a8] L.A. Shepp, "The XYZ conjecture and the FKG inequality" Ann. of Probab. , 10 (1982) pp. 824–827
How to Cite This Entry:
Ahlswede–Daykin inequality. Encyclopedia of Mathematics. URL: http://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/index.php?title=Ahlswede%E2%80%93Daykin_inequality&oldid=22009