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Algebra Difficulty 4.9 AIME Prove it Austria

Let *a*, *b*, *c* and *d* be real numbers with a2+b2+c2+d2=4a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + d^2 = 4. Prove the inequality
(a+2)(b+2)cd(a+2)(b+2) \geq cd
and give four numbers *a*, *b*, *c* and *d* such that equality holds.

Solution

The claimed inequality is equivalent to 2ab+4a+4b+82cd2ab + 4a + 4b + 8 \ge 2cd, which can be written as
2ab+4a+4b+a2+b2+c2+d2+42cd 2ab + 4a + 4b + a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + d^2 + 4 \ge 2cd
on account of the condition a2+b2+c2+d2=4a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + d^2 = 4. By the identity
a2+b2+2ab+4a+4b+4=(a+b+2)2 a^2 + b^2 + 2ab + 4a + 4b + 4 = (a + b + 2)^2
we arrive at the equivalent and obvious inequality
(a+b+2)2+(cd)20(a+b+2)^2 + (c-d)^2 \ge 0
The case of equality occurs for
a+b=2andc=da + b = -2 \quad \text{and} \quad c = d
together with a2+b2+c2+d2=4a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + d^2 = 4.
For instance when a=b=c=d=1a = b = c = d = -1.

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