Problem: Solve the following equation for x,y,z∈N (1+y+zx)2+(1+z+xy)2+(1+x+yz)2=427
Solution
Solution: Call a=1+y+zx, b=1+z+xy, c=1+x+yz to get a2+b2+c2=427 Since it is also true that a1+b1+c1=2 the quadratic-harmonic means inequality implies 23=3a2+b2+c2≥a1+b1+c13=23 So the inequality in the middle holds as an equality, and this happens whenever a=b=c, from which 1+y+zx=1+z+xy=1+x+yz. But 1+y+zx=1+z+xy⇔x2+xz=y2+yz⇔(x−y)(x+y)=z(y−x) and the two sides of this equality will be of different sign, unless x=y in which case both sides become 0. So x=y, and similarly y=z, thus x=y=z. Indeed, any triad of equal natural numbers x=y=z is a solution for the given equation, and so these are all its solutions.
Solution 2: The given equation is equivalent to 427=(x+y+z)2((y+z)21+(z+x)21+(x+y)21) Now observe that by the well known inequality a2+b2+c2≥ab+bc+ca, with y+z1, z+x1, x+y1 in place of a,b,c; we get: 427=(x+y+z)2((y+z)21+(z+x)21+(x+y)21)≥(x+y+z)2((y+z)(z+x)1+(z+x)(x+y)1+(x+y)(y+z)1)=(x+y)(y+z)(z+x)2(x+y+z)3=4(x+y)(y+z)(z+x)(2(x+y+z))3=4(x+y)(y+z)(z+x)((x+y)+(y+z)+(z+x))3≥AM-GM4(x+y)(y+z)(z+x)(33(x+y)(y+z)(z+x))3.=427 This means all inequalities in the above calculations are equalities, and this holds exactly whenever x+y=y+z=z+x, that is x=y=z. By the statement's demand we need to have a,b,c integers. And conversely, any triad of equal natural numbers x=y=z is indeed a solution for the given equation, and so these are all its solutions.
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