Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 109 1 Solution 2026-09-28
For , the Local LYM inequality isCount containment pairs with , , and . Every contributes pairs, while every contributes at most . Hencewhich rearranges to the claimed normalized inequality.
The LYM inequality says that every antichain satisfiesFor the local-LYM proof, replace the highest nonempty level of by its lower shadow. No shadow member contains a surviving member, since that would make the original family non-antichain, and the local inequality says that the normalized size does not decrease. Repeating pushes the family to the bottom level, whose normalized size is at most one. Therefore the original normalized sum was at most one.
For the chain proof, choose a Uniformly random maximal chain in a Boolean lattice. A fixed -set belongs to it with probability . Since an antichain meets each chain at most once, the expected number of its members on the chain is at most one. Linearity of expectation gives the displayed sum.
Finally use a symmetric chain decomposition of a Boolean lattice. Convexity makes the intersection of with each symmetric chain an interval. The alternating sum of over an interval in a chain is , , or . There are exactly chains, because each contains exactly one member of a middle level. Summing the chain contributions gives