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Algebra Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Prove it Romania

Let m,nm, n be positive integers and x,y,z[0,1]x, y, z \in [0, 1] be real numbers. Prove that
0xm+n+ym+n+zm+nxmynymznzmxn1 0 \le x^{m+n} + y^{m+n} + z^{m+n} - x^m y^n - y^m z^n - z^m x^n \le 1
and find when equality holds.

Solution

Without loss of generality, we may assume that xx is the largest of x,y,zx, y, z; then we have:
xm+n+ym+n+zm+nxmynymznzmxn=(xmzm)(xnyn)+(ymzm)(ynzn)0x^{m+n} + y^{m+n} + z^{m+n} - x^m y^n - y^m z^n - z^m x^n = (x^m - z^m)(x^n - y^n) + (y^m - z^m)(y^n - z^n) \ge 0.
The minimum is 00 and is obtained if x=max{y,z}x = \max\{y, z\} and y=zy = z, so if x=y=zx = y = z.

The maximum is achieved for x=1x = 1, and its value is
1+ym+n+zm+nynymznzm=1yn(1ym)zm(1zn)ymzn1, 1 + y^{m+n} + z^{m+n} - y^n - y^m z^n - z^m = 1 - y^n(1 - y^m) - z^m(1 - z^n) - y^m z^n \le 1,
with equality only if one of yy or zz is 00 and the other one is 00 or 11.

Therefore, there are 66 equality cases, namely
(x,y,z){(1,0,0),(0,1,0),(0,0,1),(1,1,0),(1,0,1),(0,1,1)}. (x, y, z) \in \{(1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 1), (1, 1, 0), (1, 0, 1), (0, 1, 1)\}.

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