Olympiad Maths Prep

Library / /1 of 2

Algebra Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it Turkey

Show that for all positive real numbers xx, yy and zz the following inequality is held:
x(2xy)y(2z+x)+y(2yz)z(2x+y)+z(2zx)x(2y+z)1 \frac{x(2x - y)}{y(2z + x)} + \frac{y(2y - z)}{z(2x + y)} + \frac{z(2z - x)}{x(2y + z)} \ge 1

Solution

The first term x(2xy)y(2z+x)+1=2(x2+yz)y(2z+x)\frac{x(2x-y)}{y(2z+x)} + 1 = \frac{2(x^2+yz)}{y(2z+x)}. The similar transformation of two other terms yields:
f(x,y,z)=x2+yzy(2z+x)+y2+zxz(2x+y)+z2+xyx(2y+z)2 f(x, y, z) = \frac{x^2 + yz}{y(2z+x)} + \frac{y^2 + zx}{z(2x+y)} + \frac{z^2 + xy}{x(2y+z)} \ge 2
By Cauchy-Schwarz inequality for positive x1,,xnx_1, \dots, x_n
(x1++xn)(a12x1++an2xn)(a1++an)2(1) (x_1 + \dots + x_n)\left(\frac{a_1^2}{x_1} + \dots + \frac{a_n^2}{x_n}\right) \ge (a_1 + \dots + a_n)^2 \quad (1)
Therefore,
g(x,y,z)=x2y(2z+x)+y2z(2x+y)+z2x(2y+z)(x+y+z)23(xy+yz+zx) g(x, y, z) = \frac{x^2}{y(2z+x)} + \frac{y^2}{z(2x+y)} + \frac{z^2}{x(2y+z)} \ge \frac{(x+y+z)^2}{3(xy+yz+zx)}
h(x,y,z)=z2z+x+x2x+y+y2y+z(x+y+z)22(x2+y2+z2)+xy+yz+zx h(x, y, z) = \frac{z}{2z+x} + \frac{x}{2x+y} + \frac{y}{2y+z} \ge \frac{(x+y+z)^2}{2(x^2+y^2+z^2)+xy+yz+zx}
Therefore,
f=g+h(x+y+z)2(13(xy+yz+zx)+12(x2+y2+z2)+xy+yz+zx)=2(x+y+z)43(xy+yz+zx)(2(x2+y2+z2)+xy+yz+zx)=2(x+y+z)43(xy+yz+zx)(2(x+y+z)23(xy+yz+zx))2(x+y+z)4(3(xy+yz+zx)+2(x+y+z)23(xy+yz+zx)2)2=2 \begin{align*} f &= g + h \ge (x+y+z)^2 \left( \frac{1}{3(xy+yz+zx)} + \frac{1}{2(x^2+y^2+z^2)+xy+yz+zx} \right) \\ &= \frac{2(x+y+z)^4}{3(xy+yz+zx)(2(x^2+y^2+z^2)+xy+yz+zx)} \\ &= \frac{2(x+y+z)^4}{3(xy+yz+zx)(2(x+y+z)^2 - 3(xy+yz+zx))} \\ &\ge \frac{2(x+y+z)^4}{\left( \frac{3(xy+yz+zx) + 2(x+y+z)^2 - 3(xy+yz+zx)}{2} \right)^2} = 2 \end{align*}
(in the last inequality we applied AM-GM inequality). Done.

Looking for a route rather than 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.