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Czech-Slovak-Polish Match

Algebra Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it Czech-Polish-Slovak Mathematical Match

Determine all triples (x,y,z)(x, y, z) of positive numbers satisfying the system of equations
2x3=2y(x2+1)−(z2+1),2y4=3z(y2+1)−2(x2+1),2z5=4x(z2+1)−3(y2+1). \begin{align*} 2x^3 &= 2y(x^2 + 1) - (z^2 + 1), \\ 2y^4 &= 3z(y^2 + 1) - 2(x^2 + 1), \\ 2z^5 &= 4x(z^2 + 1) - 3(y^2 + 1). \end{align*}

Solution

For any integer k≥3k \ge 3 and any x≥0x \ge 0 we have
2xk≥[(k−1)x−(k−2)](x2+1).(0) 2x^k \ge [(k-1)x - (k-2)](x^2 + 1). \quad (0)
To see this, observe that, by AM-GM inequality,
xk+xk+x+x+⋯+x⏟(k−3) times≥(k−1)x3, x^k + x^k + \underbrace{x + x + \dots + x}_{(k-3)\text{ times}} \ge (k-1)x^3,
and add it to
(k−2)(x2−2x+1)≥0. (k-2)(x^2 - 2x + 1) \ge 0.
Note that we have equality if and only if x=1x=1.
Therefore, for xx, yy, zz satisfying the system of equations, we have
2y(x2+1)−(z2+1)≥(2x−1)(x2+1),3z(y2+1)−2(x2+1)≥(3y−2)(y2+1),4x(z2+1)−3(y2+1)≥(4z−3)(z2+1), \begin{align*} 2y(x^2 + 1) - (z^2 + 1) &\ge (2x-1)(x^2 + 1), \\ 3z(y^2 + 1) - 2(x^2 + 1) &\ge (3y-2)(y^2 + 1), \\ 4x(z^2 + 1) - 3(y^2 + 1) &\ge (4z-3)(z^2 + 1), \end{align*}
or
2(y−x)(x2+1)+(x−z)(x+z)≥0,3(z−y)(y2+1)+2(y−x)(y+x)≥0,4(x−z)(z2+1)+3(z−y)(z+y)≥0. \begin{equation} \begin{aligned} & 2(y-x)(x^2+1) + (x-z)(x+z) \ge 0, \\ & 3(z-y)(y^2+1) + 2(y-x)(y+x) \ge 0, \\ & 4(x-z)(z^2+1) + 3(z-y)(z+y) \ge 0. \end{aligned} \tag{1} \end{equation}
Now suppose x≥max⁡{y,z}x \ge \max\{y, z\}. Then from the second inequality of (1) we infer that y≤zy \le z and
2(y−x)(x2+1)+(x−z)(x+z)≤(z−x)(2(x2+1)−(x+z))≤(z−x)(2x2−2x+2)≤0, \begin{align*} & 2(y-x)(x^2+1) + (x-z)(x+z) \le (z-x)(2(x^2+1)-(x+z)) \\ & \le (z-x)(2x^2-2x+2) \le 0, \end{align*}
which, by the first inequality in (1), implies x=y=zx = y = z.

If y≥max⁡{x,z}y \ge \max\{x, z\}, then z≤xz \le x by the third inequality in (1) and
3(z−y)(y2+1)+2(y−x)(y+x)≤(x−y)(3(y2+1)−2y−2x)≤(x−y)(3y2−4y+3)≤0, 3(z - y)(y^2 + 1) + 2(y - x)(y + x) \le (x - y)(3(y^2 + 1) - 2y - 2x) \\ \le (x - y)(3y^2 - 4y + 3) \le 0,
hence, by the second inequality in (1), x=y=zx = y = z.
Finally, if z≥max⁡{x,y}z \ge \max\{x, y\}, then x≤yx \le y by the first estimate in (1) and, as previously,
4(x−z)(z2+1)+3(z−y)(z+y)≤(y−z)(4z2−6z+4)≤0, 4(x - z)(z^2 + 1) + 3(z - y)(z + y) \le (y - z)(4z^2 - 6z + 4) \le 0,
which again implies x=y=zx = y = z. Thus we have equality in (0) and hence x=y=z=1x = y = z = 1. We easily check that this is the solution to the system.

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