First Solution: For any positive number x, the quantities x2−1 and x3−1 have the same sign. Thus, we have 0≤(x3−1)(x2−1)=x5−x3−x2+1, or
x5−x2+3≥x3+2.
It follows that
(a5−a2+3)(b5−b2+3)(c5−c2+3)≥(a3+2)(b3+2)(c3+2).
It suffices to show that
(a3+2)(b3+2)(c3+2)≥(a+b+c)3.(∗)
We finish with three approaches.
First approach Expanding both sides of inequality () and cancelling like terms gives
a3b3c3+3(a3+b3+c3)+2(a3b3+b3c3+c3a3)+8≥3(a2b+b2a+b2c+c2b+c2a+ac2)+6abc.
By the AM-GM Inequality, we have a3+a3b3+1≥3a2b. Combining similar results, the desired inequality reduces to
a3b3c3+a3+b3+c3+1+1≥6abc,
which is evident by the AM-GM Inequality.
Second Solution: By the AM-GM Inequality,
5a5+a5+1+1+1≥a2
with equality when a=1. Hence the left hand side of the desired inequality is bounded by
125(3a5+12)(3b5+12)(3c5+12),
so it suffices to prove that
(3a5+12)(3b5+12)(3c5+12)≥125(a+b+c)3.
After expanding the expressions by brute force, we find that this is equivalent to the following, which we will refer to as (†):
27a5b5c5+108cyc∑a5b5+432cyc∑a5+123≥125(cyc∑a3+3cyc∑a2b+3cyc∑ab2+6abc).
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Next, we apply AM-GM seven times to derive the following family of inequalities, referred as (‡),
(1) a5+a5+a5+1+1≥5a3, and so
25[6+cyc∑3a5≥5cyc∑a3].(‡)
(2) a5b5c5+1+1+1+1≥5abc, and so
27[a5b5c5+4≥5abc].(‡)
(3) a5+a5b5+1+1+1≥5a2b, and so
54[cyc∑a5+cyc∑a5b5+9≥cyc∑a2b].(‡)
Likewise, we have
54[cyc∑b5+cyc∑a5b5+9≥cyc∑ab2].(‡)
(4) a5+b5+c5+1+1≥5abc, and so
123[a5+b5+c5+2≥5abc].(‡)
(5) a5+a5+b5+1+1≥5a2b, and so
21[cyc∑2a5+cyc∑b5+6≥cyc∑a2b].(‡)
Likewise, we have
21[cyc∑2b5+cyc∑a5+6≥cyc∑ab2].(‡)
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Miraculously, the sum of the seven inequalities marked (‡) is precisely inequality (†), which was what we wanted. The equality condition in each application of AM-GM is a=b=c=1, so that is the equality condition for (†) as well.