Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 4.2 AIME Prove it Saudi Arabia

Prove that in every triangle, there are two sides x,yx, y such that
512xy5+12. \frac{\sqrt{5}-1}{2} \leq \frac{x}{y} \leq \frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2} .

Solution

Let a,b,ca, b, c be the side lengths of the given triangle and we may assume that abca \geq b \geq c. Denote m=abm=\frac{a}{b} and n=bcn=\frac{b}{c}. Note that
m,n1>512. m, n \geq 1 > \frac{\sqrt{5}-1}{2} .
We will show that at least one of m,nm, n is less than or equal to 5+12\frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2}. Assume that both m,n>5+12m, n > \frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2}. Since b+c>ab + c > a, it follows that n+1>mnn + 1 > m n. Hence,
n+1>mn>5+12n, or n<5+12, n + 1 > m n > \frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2} n, \text{ or } n < \frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2},
which is a contradiction. Therefore, one of two numbers m,nm, n is less than or equal 5+12\frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2}, this finishes our proof. \square

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