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Algebra Difficulty 8.2 Shortlist Prove it Germany

Problem:

Let Q+\mathbb{Q}^{+} denote the set of positive rational numbers. A function f:Q+Q+f: \mathbb{Q}^{+} \rightarrow \mathbb{Q}^{+} is called elastic if for all x,yQ+x, y \in \mathbb{Q}^{+} the inequality
f(x)+f(y)4f(x+y) f(x)+f(y) \geq 4 f(x+y)
holds.

a. Show that if f:Q+Q+f: \mathbb{Q}^{+} \rightarrow \mathbb{Q}^{+} is elastic and x,y,zx, y, z are positive rational numbers, then f(x)+f(y)+f(z)8f(x+y+z)f(x)+f(y)+f(z) \geq 8 f(x+y+z).

b. Does there exist an elastic function f:Q+Q+f: \mathbb{Q}^{+} \rightarrow \mathbb{Q}^{+} together with positive rational numbers x,y,zx, y, z for which f(x)+f(y)+f(z)<9f(x+y+z)f(x)+f(y)+f(z)<9 f(x+y+z) holds?

Solution

Solution:

a.
We have
4f(x)+f(y)+f(z)()4(f(x)+f(y+z))()16f(x+y+z). 4 f(x)+f(y)+f(z) \stackrel{(*)}{\geq} 4(f(x)+f(y+z)) \stackrel{(*)}{\geq} 16 f(x+y+z) .
Adding to this the cyclically permuted versions f(x)+4f(y)+f(z)f(x)+4 f(y)+f(z) \geq \ldots and f(x)+f(y)+4f(z)f(x)+f(y)+4 f(z) \geq \ldots, we obtain 6(f(x)+f(y)+f(z))48f(x+y+z)6(f(x)+f(y)+f(z)) \geq 48 f(x+y+z) and, dividing by 6, the claim.

b.
Yes, such f,x,y,zf, x, y, z exist. Consider the piecewise affine-linear function ff with breakpoints (2k,2k)\left(2^{k}, 2^{-k}\right) for kZk \in \mathbb{Z}, explicitly: for each kZk \in \mathbb{Z} let ff be defined on the interval [2k,2k+1[\left[2^{k}, 2^{k+1}[\right. by
f(x)=x22k+1+32k+1 for 2kx<2k+1. f(x)=-\frac{x}{2^{2 k+1}}+\frac{3}{2^{k+1}} \quad \text{ for } 2^{k} \leq x<2^{k+1} .
Thus ff is defined for all xQ+x \in \mathbb{Q}^{+}. For all xx we have f(2x)=12f(x)f(2 x)=\frac{1}{2} f(x), so (*) becomes equivalent to the convexity inequality 12(f(x)+f(y))f(x+y2)\frac{1}{2}(f(x)+f(y)) \geq f\left(\frac{x+y}{2}\right). The function ff is convex, hence also elastic. With x=y=z=1x=y=z=1 we have
f(x)+f(y)+f(z)=3<938=9f(x+y+z). f(x)+f(y)+f(z)=3<9 \cdot \frac{3}{8}=9 f(x+y+z) .

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