For arbitrary positive numbers , solve the system of equations:
Solution
Answer: and , where .
Suppose that (one of the inequalities may not be strict). Then subtract the third equation from the first: – a contradiction. If we assume that (one of the inequalities may not be strict), then subtract the third equation from the second: – a contradiction. Without loss of generality, we can assume that all cases have been considered, since the system of equations is cyclic. Thus, we are left with the condition .
To find , we need to solve the equation: . Obviously, , then we need to solve the equation . Since and
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