Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /16 of 39

Algebra Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Prove it Ireland

Let
A={(x,y,z)R3:xyz=1, x+y+z=3}, A = \{ (x, y, z) \in \mathbb{R}^3 : xyz = 1,\ x + y + z = 3 \},
under the function
F(x,y,z)=xy+yz+zx. F(x, y, z) = xy + yz + zx.
Determine the image of the set AA under FF.

Solution

Let FF stand for a value of the function FF. Clearly, x,y,zAx, y, z \in A iff the cubic t33t2+Ft1t^3 - 3t^2 + Ft - 1 has three real roots. Normalise this to the form (s=t1s = t - 1)
s3(3F)s(3F)=0. s^3 - (3-F)s - (3-F) = 0.
If a,b,ca, b, c are the roots of this, then they are real iff
04(3F)327(3F)2=(F3)2(4(3F)27)=(F3)2(4F+15). 0 \le 4(3-F)^3 - 27(3-F)^2 = (F-3)^2(4(3-F) - 27) = -(F-3)^2(4F+15).
Consequently, the roots are real iff F=3F = 3 or F15/4F \le -15/4. Now F=3F = 3 means that x,y,zx, y, z satisfy the cubic equation (t1)3=0(t-1)^3 = 0, and so x=y=z=1x = y = z = 1.

Unless this occurs, then F154F \leq -\frac{15}{4}. If there is equality here, then two of a,b,ca, b, c are equal, i.e., two of x,y,zx, y, z are equal. Hence, x=y=1/2x = y = -1/2, z=4z = 4 say. Thus
F(A)=(,154]{3}. F(A) = \left(-\infty, -\frac{15}{4}\right] \cup \{3\}.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

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