, since, i ≥ 3 and n -2 -i ≥ 3, we conclude the equalities. For the decreasing inequalities, we proceed in a similar manner, considering that g 1 (2, 2, 2) is the maximum. As for the final inequalities, which involve a chain with 2 links of type 2 and 2 links of type 1 respectively, by iterating the recursive formula, it is demonstrated that: