Elegant proof that maximum of sums is, at most, sum of maximums
I'm looking for an elegant way to show that, among non-negative numbers, $$ \max \{a_1 + b_1, \dots, a_n + b_n\} \leq \max \{a_1, \dots, a_n\} + \max \{b_1, \dots, b_n\} $$
I can show that $\max \{a+b, c+d\} \leq \max \{a,c\} + \max \{b,d\}$ by exhaustively checking all possibilities of orderings among $a,c$ and $b,d$.
But, I feel like there should be a more intuitive/efficient way to show this property for arbitrary sums like the one above.
For any index $j$, $a_j+b_j\leq \max\{a_1,\dots,a_n\}+\max\{b_1,\dots,b_n\}$. Now take the maximum over all $j$.
More than this is true.
Let $P$ be a permutation of $[1, 2, ..., n]$.
Then $\max \{a_1 + b_{P(1)}, \dots, a_n + b_{P(n)}\} \leq \max \{a_1, \dots, a_n\} + \max \{b_1, \dots, b_n\} $.
This is proved in the same way as carmichael561's proof:
For all $i$ from $1$ to $n$, $a_i \le \max \{a_1, \dots, a_n\} $ and $b_{P(i)} \le \max \{b_1, \dots, b_n\} $ so $a_i+b_{P(i)} \le \max \{a_1, \dots, a_n\} + \max \{b_1, \dots, b_n\} $.
The similar, but reversed inequality holds for $\min$.
How about proof by induction?
You've proved the following by slogging it out. max(a+b,c+d) <= max(a,c) + max(b,d)
To show the induction step, consider the case for three terms:
max(a+b,c+d,e+f) = max(max(a+b,c+d), e+f ) ( max is associative).
= max( max(a,c) + max(b,d), e+f) (1st application of result).
max( max(a,c)+e) ) + max( max(b,d)+ f) (2nd application of result).
max(a,c,e) + max(b,d,f) (associativity of max).
This is the pattern for the general case, adding the n+1 term x+y
max(a+b,c+d,.....y+z) = max(max(a+b,c+d,....), y+z )
= max( max(a,c,...) + max(b,d,....), y+z)
max( max(a,c,.....)+y) ) + max( max(b,d,.....) + z)
max(a,c,.....,y) + max(b,d,.....z)