The increase of sums and products dependent on (y 1, …,y n ) by rearrangement of this set

LetF(u, v) be a symmetric real function defined forα<u, v<β and assume thatG(u, v, w)=F(u, v)+F(u, w)−F(v, w) is decreasing inv andw foru≦min (u, v). For any set (y)=(y ₁, …,y _n ),α<y _i <β, given except in arrangement Σ _i ^=1/n F(y _i ,y _i+1) wherey _n+1=y ₁) is maximal if (and under some additional assumptions only if) (y) is arranged in circular symmetrical order. Examples are given and an additional result is proved on the productΠ _i ^=1/n (y2i−1y2i) ^m +α ₁(y _2i−1 y _2i ) ^m−1+ … +a _m ] wherea _k ≧0 and where the set (y)=(y ₁, ..,y _n ),y _i ≧0 is given except in arrangement. The problems considered here arose in connection with a theorem by A. Lehman 1] and a lemma of Duffin and Schaeffer 2]. This paper is part of the author’s Master of Science dissertation at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The author wishes to thank Professor B. Schwarz and Professor E. Jabotinsky for their help in the preparation of this paper.