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Algebra Difficulty 5.8 AIME, harder Prove it China

Let a,b,c,da, b, c, d be nonnegative real numbers not exceeding 11. Prove that
11+a+b+11+b+c+11+c+d+11+d+a41+2abcd4. \frac{1}{1+a+b} + \frac{1}{1+b+c} + \frac{1}{1+c+d} + \frac{1}{1+d+a} \le \frac{4}{1+2\sqrt[4]{abcd}}.

Solution

Notice that when acx\sqrt{ac} \le x, we have
1x+a+1x+c2x+ac=(ac)2(acx)(x+a)(x+c)(x+ac)0.() \frac{1}{x+a} + \frac{1}{x+c} - \frac{2}{x+\sqrt{ac}} = \frac{(\sqrt{a}-\sqrt{c})^2(\sqrt{ac}-x)}{(x+a)(x+c)(x+\sqrt{ac})} \le 0. \quad (*)
Given the conditions, ac11+b\sqrt{ac} \le 1 \le 1+b, and ac1+d\sqrt{ac} \le 1+d. Substituting x=1+bx = 1+b and x=1+cx = 1+c into ()(*) yields
11+a+b+11+b+c21+b+ac, \frac{1}{1+a+b} + \frac{1}{1+b+c} \le \frac{2}{1+b+\sqrt{ac}},
11+c+d+11+d+a21+d+ac. \frac{1}{1+c+d} + \frac{1}{1+d+a} \le \frac{2}{1+d+\sqrt{ac}}.
This means that when substituting ac\sqrt{ac} for aa and cc, the left side of the inequality does not decrease, while the right side remains unchanged. Thus, we may assume without loss of generality that a=ca = c. Similarly, we may assume b=db = d. Hence, the original inequality is reduced to proving
11+a+b11+2ab. \frac{1}{1+a+b} \le \frac{1}{1+2\sqrt{ab}}.
This holds true by the arithmetic mean-geometric mean inequality, which states a+b2aba+b \ge 2\sqrt{ab}. \square

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