Entropy proof of cube edge-isoperimetry

For a vertex set of size $m$ in a hypercube graph, split one coordinate into sections of sizes $a,b$. Induction bounds the internal edges within the sections by $(a{\log }_{2}a+b{\log }_{2}b)/2$; at most $\min (a,b)$ edges cross between them. Put $t=\min (a,b)/(a+b)$. The chord bound for the binary entropy function gives $H_2(t)\ge 2t$, hence $a{\log }_{2}a+b{\log }_{2}b+2\min (a,b)\le m{\log }_{2}m$. Thus at most $m{\log }_{2}m/2$ internal edges are present, and the edge boundary is at least $m(n-{\log }_{2}m)$. Coordinate subcubes attain equality when $m$ is a power of two.

For a nonempty subset of a hypercube graph, split it into sections of sizes $a,b$. The proof of the entropy edge bound uses $H_2(t)\ge 2t$, $t=\min (a,b)/(a+b)$. Strict concavity makes equality possible only at $t=0$ or $t=1/2$. In the first case one section is empty; in the second the sections coincide, since all possible crossing edges must be present. Induction forces a coordinate subcube. Conversely every coordinate subcube has the displayed edge count. At size $2^{n-1}$ these are exactly the two halves determined by fixing one coordinate.