Let a,b and c be positive real numbers such that min{ab,bc,ca}≥1. Prove that 3(a2+1)(b2+1)(c2+1)≤(3a+b+c)2+1.
Solution
Claim. For any positive real numbers x,y with xy≥1, we have (x2+1)(y2+1)≥((2x+y)2+1)2.(1) Proof. Note that xy≥1 implies (2x+y)2−1≥xy−1≥0. We find that (x2+1)(y2+1)=(xy−1)2+(x+y)2≤((2x+y)2−1)2+(x+y)2=((2x+y)2+1)≤((2x+y)+1)2 Without loss of generality, assume a≥b≥c. This implies a≥1. Let d=3a+b+c. Note that ad=3a(a+b+c)≥31+1+1=1. Then we can apply Eq. (1) to the pair (b,c). We get (a2+1)(b2+1)(c2+1)(d2+1)≤((2a+d+1)2+(2b+c+1)2)(2) Next, from 2a+d⋅2b+c≥ad⋅bc≥1, we can apply Eq. (1) again to the pair (2a+d,2b+c). Together with Eq. (2), we have (a2+1)(b2+1)(c2+1)(d2+1)≤((4a+b+c+d)2+1)4=(d2+1)4. Therefore, (a2+1)(b2+1)(c2+1)≤(d2+1)3, and the desired inequality follows by taking cube root of both sides.
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