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Algebra Difficulty 8.3 Shortlist Prove it United States

Let a,b,ca, b, c be positive real numbers such that
a+b+cabc. a + b + c \ge abc.
Prove that at least two of the inequalities
2a+3b+6c6,2c+3a+6b6, \frac{2}{a} + \frac{3}{b} + \frac{6}{c} \ge 6, \quad \frac{2}{c} + \frac{3}{a} + \frac{6}{b} \ge 6,
are true.

Solution

First Solution. Assume, for the sake of contradiction, that at least two of the numbers
2a+3b+6c,2b+3c+6a,2c+3a+6b \frac{2}{a} + \frac{3}{b} + \frac{6}{c}, \quad \frac{2}{b} + \frac{3}{c} + \frac{6}{a}, \quad \frac{2}{c} + \frac{3}{a} + \frac{6}{b}
are less than 66. Without loss of generality, we may further assume that the first and the last are less than 66. Then
5a+9b+8c<12. \frac{5}{a} + \frac{9}{b} + \frac{8}{c} < 12.
Also, because b+ca(bc1)b + c \ge a(bc - 1), we have
1abc1b+c. \frac{1}{a} \ge \frac{bc - 1}{b + c}.
It follows that
5(bc1)b+c+9b+8c<12, \frac{5(bc - 1)}{b + c} + \frac{9}{b} + \frac{8}{c} < 12,
or
5b2c2+12bc12b2c12c2b+9c2+8b2<0.(1) 5b^{2}c^{2} + 12bc - 12b^{2}c - 12c^{2}b + 9c^{2} + 8b^{2} < 0. \quad (1)
Completing squares yields
(2bc2b3c)2+b2(c2)2<0, (2bc - 2b - 3c)^2 + b^2(c - 2)^2 < 0,
a contradiction. This proves the conclusion. To obtain equalities, that is two of the members
2a+3b+6c,2b+3c+6a,2c+3a+6b \frac{2}{a} + \frac{3}{b} + \frac{6}{c}, \quad \frac{2}{b} + \frac{3}{c} + \frac{6}{a}, \quad \frac{2}{c} + \frac{3}{a} + \frac{6}{b}
are equal to 66, we must have c2=0c - 2 = 0 and 2bc2b3c=02bc - 2b - 3c = 0, that is c=2c = 2, b=3b = 3, a=1a = 1. Therefore the equalities hold if and only if (a,b,c)(a, b, c) is one of the triples (1,3,2)(1, 3, 2), (3,2,1)(3, 2, 1), (2,1,3)(2, 1, 3).

Or: Rewriting (1) as a quadratic form in bb yields
(5c212c+8)b212c(c1)b+9c2<0, (5c^2 - 12c + 8)b^2 - 12c(c - 1)b + 9c^2 < 0,
which is impossible, because the leading coefficient
5c212c+8=5(c65)2+45 5c^2 - 12c + 8 = 5\left(c - \frac{6}{5}\right)^2 + \frac{4}{5}
is always positive and the discriminant
Δ=[12c(c1)]236c2(5c212c+8)=36c2[4(c1)2(5c212c+8)]=36c2(c2)2 \begin{aligned} \Delta &= [12c(c-1)]^2 - 36c^2(5c^2 - 12c + 8) \\ &= 36c^2[4(c-1)^2 - (5c^2 - 12c + 8)] = -36c^2(c-2)^2 \end{aligned}
is always nonpositive.

Second Solution. (by David Shin) Perform the substitutions x=1/ax = 1/a, y=1/by = 1/b, and z=1/cz = 1/c. It suffices to prove that at least two of the inequalities
2x+3y+6z6,2y+3z+6x6,2z+3x+6y6 2x + 3y + 6z \le 6, \quad 2y + 3z + 6x \le 6, \quad 2z + 3x + 6y \le 6
are true, where
x,y,z>0andxy+yz+zx1. x, y, z > 0 \quad \text{and} \quad xy + yz + zx \ge 1.
Assume, for the sake of contradiction, that at least two of the given inequalities are false. Without loss of generality, we may assume that 2x+3y+6z<62x + 3y + 6z < 6 and 2y+3z+6x<62y + 3z + 6x < 6. Then
144>[(2x+3y+6z)+(2y+3z+6x)]2=(8x+5y+9z)2=64x2+80xy+25y2+81z2+90yz+144zx=64x264xy+16y2+9y254yz+81z2+144(xy+yz+zx)=(8x4y)2+(3y9z)2+144144, \begin{aligned} & 144 > [(2x + 3y + 6z) + (2y + 3z + 6x)]^2 \\ &= (8x + 5y + 9z)^2 \\ &= 64x^2 + 80xy + 25y^2 + 81z^2 + 90yz + 144zx \\ &= 64x^2 - 64xy + 16y^2 + 9y^2 - 54yz + 81z^2 + 144(xy + yz + zx) \\ &= (8x - 4y)^2 + (3y - 9z)^2 + 144 \ge 144, \end{aligned}
a contradiction. Thus, our assumptions is false and at least two of the desired inequalities must be true. To obtain equalities, that is two of the numbers
2a+3b+6c,2b+3c+6a,2c+3a+6b \frac{2}{a} + \frac{3}{b} + \frac{6}{c}, \quad \frac{2}{b} + \frac{3}{c} + \frac{6}{a}, \quad \frac{2}{c} + \frac{3}{a} + \frac{6}{b}
are equal to 66, we must have 8x4y=3y9z=08x - 4y = 3y - 9z = 0, or a:b:c=(1/x):(1/y):(1/z)=2:1:3a : b : c = (1/x) : (1/y) : (1/z) = 2 : 1 : 3. Therefore the equalities hold if and only if (a,b,c)=(1,3,2)(a, b, c) = (1, 3, 2), (3,2,1)(3, 2, 1), (2,1,3)(2, 1, 3).

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