Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /2 of 42

Algebra Difficulty 4.5 AIME Prove it Ireland

Suppose aa, bb, cc are real numbers such that a+b+c=1a + b + c = 1. Prove that
a3+b3+c3+3(1a)(1b)(1c)=1. a^3 + b^3 + c^3 + 3(1-a)(1-b)(1-c) = 1.

Solutions — 3

Solution 1

a3+b3+c33abc=(a+b+c)(a2+b2+c2abbcca) =a2+b2+c2abbcca =(a+b+c)23(ab+bc+ca) =13(ab+bc+ca), \begin{align*} a^3 + b^3 + c^3 - 3abc &= (a+b+c)(a^2+b^2+c^2-ab-bc-ca) \ &= a^2 + b^2 + c^2 - ab - bc - ca \ &= (a+b+c)^2 - 3(ab+bc+ca) \ &= 1 - 3(ab+bc+ca), \end{align*}
and
(1a)(1b)(1c)=1(a+b+c)+(ab+bc+ca)abc =ab+bc+caabc. \begin{align*} (1-a)(1-b)(1-c) &= 1 - (a+b+c) + (ab+bc+ca) - abc \ &= ab + bc + ca - abc. \end{align*}
Hence
a3+b3+c3=1+3abc3(ab+bc+ca) =13(ab+bc+caabc) =13(1a)(1b)(1c), \begin{align*} a^3 + b^3 + c^3 &= 1 + 3abc - 3(ab + bc + ca) \ &= 1 - 3(ab + bc + ca - abc) \ &= 1 - 3(1-a)(1-b)(1-c), \end{align*}
as claimed.

Solution 2

1=(a+b+c)3=a3+b3+c3+3(a2b+ab2+b2c+bc2+c2a+ca2)+6abc.(1)1 = (a+b+c)^3 = a^3+b^3+c^3+3(a^2b+ab^2+b^2c+bc^2+c^2a+ca^2)+6abc. \quad (1)
Next we use a+b+c=1a+b+c = 1 to get 1a=b+c1-a = b+c, 1b=c+a1-b = c+a, 1c=a+b1-c = a+b, which gives
a3+b3+c3+3(1a)(1b)(1c)=a3+b3+c3+3(a+b)(b+c)(c+a)=a3+b3+c3+3(a2b+ab2+b2c+bc2+c2a+ca2)+6abc.(2) \begin{align*} a^3 + b^3 + c^3 + 3(1-a)(1-b)(1-c) &= a^3 + b^3 + c^3 + 3(a+b)(b+c)(c+a) \\ &= a^3 + b^3 + c^3 + 3(a^2b + ab^2 + b^2c + bc^2 + c^2a + ca^2) + 6abc. \quad (2) \end{align*}
Finally, we note that the expressions on the right-hand sides of (1) and (2) are the same. This completes the proof.

Solution 3

a3+b3+c3+3(1a)(1b)(1c)=a3+b3+(1ab)3+3(1a)(1b)(a+b)=a3+b3+(1a)33b(1a)2+3b2(1a)b3+3(1a)(1b)(a+b)=a3+(1a)((1a)23b(1a)+3b2+3(1b)(a+b))=a3+(1a)(12a+a23b+3ab+3b2+3a+3b3ab3b2)=a3+(1a)(1+a+a2)=a3+1a3=1. \begin{align*} & a^3 + b^3 + c^3 + 3(1-a)(1-b)(1-c) \\ &= a^3 + b^3 + (1-a-b)^3 + 3(1-a)(1-b)(a+b) \\ &= a^3 + b^3 + (1-a)^3 - 3b(1-a)^2 + 3b^2(1-a) - b^3 + 3(1-a)(1-b)(a+b) \\ &= a^3 + (1-a) \left( (1-a)^2 - 3b(1-a) + 3b^2 + 3(1-b)(a+b) \right) \\ &= a^3 + (1-a) \left( 1 - 2a + a^2 - 3b + 3ab + 3b^2 + 3a + 3b - 3ab - 3b^2 \right) \\ &= a^3 + (1-a) \left( 1 + a + a^2 \right) = a^3 + 1 - a^3 = 1. \end{align*}

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.