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Algebra Difficulty 5.5 AIME, harder Prove it Belarus

Let xx, yy, zz be pairwise distinct real numbers such that x21/y=y21/z=z21/xx^2 - 1/y = y^2 - 1/z = z^2 - 1/x. Given z21/x=az^2 - 1/x = a, prove that
(x+y+z)xyz=a2.(I. Voronovich) (x+y+z)xyz = -a^2. \qquad \text{(I. Voronovich)}

Solution

First, note that a0a \neq 0, xyx \neq -y, etc. (this easily follows from the given relation). Now, the equality x21/y=y21/zx^2 - 1/y = y^2 - 1/z can be written in two other ways:
x2y2+1x1y=1x1z(xy)(x+y1xy)=zxxz(xy)(x2+xy1y)=zxz(xy)(a+xy)=zxz(1) \begin{aligned} x^2 - y^2 + \frac{1}{x} - \frac{1}{y} &= \frac{1}{x} - \frac{1}{z} \quad \Leftrightarrow \quad (x-y)(x+y-\frac{1}{xy}) = \frac{z-x}{xz} \\ (x-y)(x^2+xy-\frac{1}{y}) &= \frac{z-x}{z} \quad \Leftrightarrow \quad (x-y)(a+xy) = \frac{z-x}{z} \end{aligned} \quad (1)
and
x2y21x1y=1x1z(x+y)(xy1xy)=z+xxz(x+y)(x2xy1y)=z+xz.(2) \begin{aligned} x^2 - y^2 - \frac{1}{x} - \frac{1}{y} &= \frac{1}{x} - \frac{1}{z} \quad \Leftrightarrow \quad (x+y)(x-y-\frac{1}{xy}) = -\frac{z+x}{xz} \\ (x+y)(x^2 - xy - \frac{1}{y}) &= -\frac{z+x}{z}. \end{aligned} \quad (2)
Now, multiplying (1) by two similar equalities and reducing by (xy)(yz)(zx)0(x-y)(y-z)(z-x) \neq 0, we obtain (a+xy)(a+yz)(a+zx)=1xyz(a+xy)(a+yz)(a+zx) = \frac{1}{xyz}
a3+a2(xy+yz+zx)+a(x+y+z)xyz+(xyz)2=1xyz.(3) a^3 + a^2(xy + yz + zx) + a(x + y + z)xyz + (xyz)^2 = \frac{1}{xyz}. \quad (3)
Proceeding similarly with (2), we obtain
a3a2(xy+yz+zx)+a(x+y+z)xyz(xyz)2=1xyz.(4) a^3 - a^2(xy + yz + zx) + a(x + y + z)xyz - (xyz)^2 = -\frac{1}{xyz}. \quad (4)
Summing (3) and (4) and reducing by 2a02a \neq 0, we obtain the required equality.

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