Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /6 of 13

Algebra Difficulty 6.1 National olympiad Prove it China

There are real numbers aa, bb and cc such that f(x)=x3+ax2+bx+cf(x) = x^3 + a x^2 + b x + c has three real roots x1x_1, x2x_2 and x3x_3 satisfying
(1)x2x1=λ, (1)\quad x_2 - x_1 = \lambda,
(2)x3>12(x1+x2). (2)\quad x_3 > \frac{1}{2}(x_1 + x_2).
Find the maximum value of 2a3+27c9abλ3\frac{2a^3 + 27c - 9ab}{\lambda^3}.

Solution

Let S=2a3+27c9abλ3S = \frac{2a^3 + 27c - 9ab}{\lambda^3}, then
S=27(227a313ab+c)λ3=27f(13a)λ3=27(13ax1)(13ax2)(13ax3)(x2x1)3=27(x1+13a)(x2+13a)(x3+13a)(x2x1)3. S = \frac{27\left(\frac{2}{27}a^3 - \frac{1}{3}ab + c\right)}{\lambda^3} = \frac{27f\left(-\frac{1}{3}a\right)}{\lambda^3} \\ = \frac{27\left(-\frac{1}{3}a - x_1\right)\left(-\frac{1}{3}a - x_2\right)\left(-\frac{1}{3}a - x_3\right)}{(x_2 - x_1)^3} \\ = \frac{-27\left(x_1 + \frac{1}{3}a\right)\left(x_2 + \frac{1}{3}a\right)\left(x_3 + \frac{1}{3}a\right)}{(x_2 - x_1)^3}.

Write ui=xi+a3u_i = x_i + \frac{a}{3} (i=1,2,3i=1,2,3), then u2u1=x2x1=λu_2 - u_1 = x_2 - x_1 = \lambda, u3>12(u1+u2)u_3 > \frac{1}{2}(u_1 + u_2), and u1+u2+u3=x1+x2+x3+a=0u_1 + u_2 + u_3 = x_1 + x_2 + x_3 + a = 0. So, u1u_1, u2u_2 and u3u_3 satisfy the corresponding conditions too, and
S=27u1u2u3(u2u1)3. S = \frac{-27u_1 u_2 u_3}{(u_2 - u_1)^3}.
By u3=(u1+u2)>u1+u22u_3 = -(u_1 + u_2) > \frac{u_1 + u_2}{2}, we get u1+u2<0u_1 + u_2 < 0. Consequently, at least one of u1u_1 and u2u_2 should be less than 00. We may assume u1<0u_1 < 0.

If u2<0u_2 < 0, then S<0S < 0.

If u2>0u_2 > 0, we suppose further
v1=u1u2u1,v=v2=u2u2u1. v_1 = \frac{-u_1}{u_2 - u_1}, \quad v = v_2 = \frac{u_2}{u_2 - u_1}.
Then v1+v2=1v_1 + v_2 = 1, v1v_1 and v2v_2 are both greater than 00 and v1v2=u3u2u1>0v_1 - v_2 = \frac{u_3}{u_2 - u_1} > 0. So it follows that
S=27v1v2(v1v2)=27v(1v)(12v)=27(vv2)2(12v)2=272(vv2)(vv2)(122v+2v2)272×(16)3=323. \begin{aligned} S &= 27v_1v_2(v_1 - v_2) = 27v(1-v)(1-2v) \\ &= 27\sqrt{(v-v^2)^2(1-2v)^2} \\ &= 27\sqrt{2(v-v^2)(v-v^2)\left(\frac{1}{2}-2v+2v^2\right)} \\ &\le 27\sqrt{2 \times \left(\frac{1}{6}\right)^3} \\ &= \frac{3}{2}\sqrt{3}. \end{aligned}
The equality holds when v=12(133)v = \frac{1}{2}\left(1 - \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3}\right). The corresponding cubic equation is x312x+318=0x^3 - \frac{1}{2}x + \frac{\sqrt{3}}{18} = 0 and λ=1\lambda = 1 (x1=12(1+33)x_1 = -\frac{1}{2}(1 + \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3}), x2=12(133)x_2 = \frac{1}{2}(1 - \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3}) and x3=33x_3 = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3}).

Consequently, the maximal value is 323\frac{3}{2}\sqrt{3}.

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 and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.