Consider n workers, whose wages are $ w_1, w_2, ..., w_n. $

The average wage, then, would be $ A = \frac{w_1 + w_2 + ... + w_n}{n} $ (*).

All wages $ w_i $ can also be expressed as their difference from the average: $ w_i = A + w_{d_i} $.

The total wage paid to all workers, then can be expressed in two different ways:

$ \sum_{i=1}^n w_i = \sum_{i=1}^n A + w_{d_i} $

$ nA = \sum_{i=1}^n A + \sum_{i=1}^n w_{d_i} $ (Using (*) on the LHS)

$ nA = nA + \sum_{i=1}^n w_{d_i} $

$ 0 = \sum_{i=1}^n w_{d_i} $

Consider worker j, who makes more money than average, as posited by Weber. Then, $ w_j = A + w_{d_j} $, where $ w_{d_j} > 0 $.

$ \sum_{i=1}^n w_{d_i} = w_{d_1} + w_{d_2} + ... + w_{d_{j-1}} + w_{d_j} + w_{d_{j+1}} + ... + w_{d_n} = 0 $

$ \Rightarrow w_{d_1} + w_{d_2} + ... + w_{d_{j-1}} + w_{d_{j+1}} + ... + w_{d_n} = -w_{d_j} < 0 $ (Since $ w_{d_j} > 0 $)

Then, at least one of $ w_{d_1}, w_{d_2}, ..., w_{d_{j-1}}, w_{d_{j+1}}, ..., w_{d_n} $ must be negative.

In other words, $ \text{If } \exists j \in {1, 2, ..., n} \text{ s.t. } w_{d_j} > 0, \exists k \in {1, 2, ..., n} (k \neq j) \text{ s.t. } w_{d_k} < 0 $

Or, to summarize: If somebody earns above average, another person must earn below average. Thus, Weber's situation cannot occur.

Alumni Liaison

Prof. Math. Ohio State and Associate Dean
Outstanding Alumnus Purdue Math 2008

Jeff McNeal