Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-calculus-of-variations-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2011/1/a/solution

For the supporting inequality, assume first that is convex and fix . For ,
Subtract , divide by and let . Differentiability gives
Conversely assume this inequality for every pair. Put and apply it with base point to both and . Multiply those two inequalities by and and add. The gradient terms cancel, proving . Thus the supporting inequality characterizes a differentiable convex function.
For the integral inequality let . Apply the supporting inequality at to and integrate. Its affine term has integral , yielding
This is Jensen's inequality. Since is integrable, the supporting affine lower bound has integrable negative part, so the right side is well-defined as an extended real integral. If its positive part is infinite, the inequality remains valid.

New to topics? Read the docs here!