Bonferroni Inequalities

Abstract

Let $A_1, A_2, \cdots, A_n$ be events on a probability space. Let $S_{k,n}$ be the $k$th binomial moment of the number $m_n$ of those $A$'s which occur. An estimate on the distribution $y_t = P(m_n \geqq t)$ by a linear combination of $S_{1,n}, S_{2,n}, \cdots, S_{n,n}$ is called a Bonferroni inequality. We present for proving Bonferroni inequalities a method which makes use of the following two facts: the sequence $y_t$ is decreasing and $S_{k,n}$ is a linear combination of the $y_t$. By this method, we significantly simplify a recent proof for the sharpest possible lower bound on $y_1$ in terms of $S_{1,n}$ and $S_{2,n}$. In addition, we obtain an extension of known bounds on $y_t$ in the spirit of a recent extension of the method of inclusion and exclusion.