Suppose a, b, and c are positive real numbers. Prove that, 24abc≤∣a3+b3+c3−(a+b+c)3∣≤98(a+b+c)3, and that for both inequalities, equality occurs if and only if a=b=c.
Solution
We factorise a3+b3+c3−(a+b+c)3 as follows: a3+b3+c3−((a+b)3+3(a+b)2c+3(a+b)c2+c3)=a3+b3−(a3+b3+3a2b+3ab2+b3+3(a+b)2c+3(a+b)c2)=−3(a+b)(ab+(a+b)c+c2)=−3(a+b)(b+c)(c+a). Hence ∣a3+b3+c3−(a+b+c)3∣=3(a+b)(b+c)(c+a). Now, by the AM-GM inequality, (a+b)(b+c)(c+a)≤(3(a+b)+(b+c)+(c+a))3=278(a+b+c)3, with equality iff a+b=b+c=c+a, equivalently a=b=c. It follows that ∣a3+b3+c3−(a+b+c)3∣≤98(a+b+c)3, with equality iff a=b=c. But, if x,y>0, then x+y≥2xy, with equality iff x=y. Hence (a+b)(b+c)(c+a)≥8abbcca, and the inequality is strict unless a=b=c. It follows that ∣a3+b3+c3−(a+b+c)3∣≥24abc, with equality iff a=b=c.
Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track
puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.
Source: MathNet,
licensed CC-BY-4.0.
Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.