Problem: Let a,b,c,d be positive real numbers such that abcd=1. Prove the inequality a3+b+c+d1+a+b3+c+d1+a+b+c3+d1+a+b+c+d31⩽4a+b+c+d
Solution
Solution: From the Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality, we obtain (a+b+c+d)2⩽(a3+b+c+d)(a1+b+c+d) Using this, together with the other three analogous inequalities, we get a3+b+c+d1+a+b3+c+d1+a+b+c3+d1+a+b+c+d31⩽(a+b+c+d)23(a+b+c+d)+(a1+b1+c1+d1) So it suffices to prove that (a+b+c+d)3⩾12(a+b+c+d)+4(a1+b1+c1+d1) or equivalently, that (a3+b3+c3+d3)+3∑a2b+6(abc+abd+acd+bcd)⩾12(a+b+c+d)+4(abc+abd+acd+bcd) (Here, the sum is over all possible x2y with x,y∈{a,b,c,d} and x=y.) From the AM-GM Inequality we have a3+a2b+a2b+a2c+a2c+a2d+a2d+b2a+c2a+d2a+bcd+bcd⩾1212a18b6c6d6=12a. Similarly, we get three more inequalities. Adding them together gives the inequality we wanted. Equality holds if and only if a=b=c=d=1.
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