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Algebra Difficulty 6.5 National olympiad Prove it Ukraine

Let x1,x2,...,x14x_1, x_2, ..., x_{14} be non-negative numbers, sum of which is equal to 11. Prove that:
x1x2x3x4+x2x3x4x5++x11x12x13x14+x12x13x14x1+x13x14x1x2+x14x1x2x3144.(Serhiy Zhyliaiev) x_1x_2x_3x_4 + x_2x_3x_4x_5 + \dots + x_{11}x_{12}x_{13}x_{14} + x_{12}x_{13}x_{14}x_1 + x_{13}x_{14}x_1x_2 + x_{14}x_1x_2x_3 \le \frac{1}{4^4}. \quad \text{(Serhiy Zhyliaiev)}

Solution

Let's denote the left side of inequality that should be proven as SS. Let x14x1x_{14}x_1 be the smallest product among all pairwise products of adjacent numbers xkxk+1x_kx_{k+1}, k=1,14k = 1, 14 (cyclically adjacent numbers: x15=x1x_{15} = x_1). Then we can bound from above all the summands containing this pair like this:
x12x13x14x1x12x13x6x7,x13x14x1x2x13x7x8x2,x14x1x2x3x8x9x2x3, x_{12}x_{13}x_{14}x_1 \le x_{12}x_{13}x_6x_7, \quad x_{13}x_{14}x_1x_2 \le x_{13}x_7x_8x_2, \quad x_{14}x_1x_2x_3 \le x_8x_9x_2x_3,
But then
S=x1x2x3x4+x2x3x4x5++x11x12x13x14+x12x13x14x1+x13x14x1x2+x14x1x2x3x1x2x3x4+x2x3x4x5++x11x12x13x14+x12x13x6x7+x13x7x8x2+x8x9x2x3=P. \begin{aligned} S &= x_1x_2x_3x_4 + x_2x_3x_4x_5 + \dots + x_{11}x_{12}x_{13}x_{14} + x_{12}x_{13}x_{14}x_1 + x_{13}x_{14}x_1x_2 + x_{14}x_1x_2x_3 \\ &\le x_1x_2x_3x_4 + x_2x_3x_4x_5 + \dots + x_{11}x_{12}x_{13}x_{14} + x_{12}x_{13}x_6x_7 + x_{13}x_7x_8x_2 + x_8x_9x_2x_3 = P. \end{aligned}

In every group of 44 summands from PP every multiplier has different remainder modulo 44, that's why
(x1+x5+x9+x13)(x2+x6+x10+x14)(x3+x7+x11)(x4+x8+x12)144(k=114xk)4=144, \begin{aligned} & (x_1 + x_5 + x_9 + x_{13})(x_2 + x_6 + x_{10} + x_{14})(x_3 + x_7 + x_{11})(x_4 + x_8 + x_{12}) \le \\ & \le \frac{1}{4^4} \left( \sum_{k=1}^{14} x_k \right)^4 = \frac{1}{4^4}, \end{aligned}
what was to be demonstrated.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.