Replace (c,d) with (−c,−d) to rephrase the problem as: subject to the constraint ab(c+d)+cd(a+b)=0, prove that ∑a2+3a+1≥0 (1).
Suppose one of the numbers equals 0 and notice that (at least) another is 0 as well – let them be c and d. The claim (1) rewrites as
a2+3a+1+b2+3b+1≥−32,
which holds true as x2+3x+1≥−31, for all x∈R.
Suppose now that a, b, c, d=0 and set x=a1, y=b1, z=c1 and t=d1. Once again, the problem is restated:
x+y+z+t=0⟹∑3x2+1x2+x≥0.(2)
Let ∣t∣=max{∣x∣,∣y∣,∣z∣,∣t∣}. The inequality (2) is equivalent to
∑(3x2+16x2+6x+1)≥4⟺∑3x2+1(3x+1)2≥4
⟺3x2+1(3x+1)2+3y2+1(3y+1)2+3z2+1(3z+1)2≥4−3t2+1(3t+1)2=3t2+13(1−t)2.
Notice that x2+y2+z2≤3t2 and apply Cauchy-Schwarz inequality to conclude:
3x2+1(3x+1)2+3y2+1(3y+1)2+3z2+1(3z+1)2≥x2+y2+z2+13(x+y+z+1)2≥3t2+13(1−t)2.