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Algebra Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Prove it Romania

For real numbers x,y,z(0,1)x, y, z \in (0, 1), with xyz=(1x)(1y)(1z)xyz = (1-x)(1-y)(1-z), show that at least one of the numbers (1x)y,(1y)z,(1z)x(1-x)y, (1-y)z, (1-z)x is greater than or equal to 14\frac{1}{4}.

Solution

From x,y,z(0,1)x, y, z \in (0, 1) it follows that also 1x,1y,1z(0,1)1-x, 1-y, 1-z \in (0, 1). We have
(1x)y=xxy, \sum (1-x)y = \sum x - \sum xy,
while
x=(1x) translates into (xxy)+2xyz=1, hence (1x)y+2(1x)y=1=314+2(14)3. \prod x = \prod (1-x) \text{ translates into } (\sum x - \sum xy) + 2xyz = 1, \text{ hence } \sum (1-x)y + 2\sqrt{\prod (1-x)y} = 1 = 3 \cdot \frac{1}{4} + 2\sqrt{\left(\frac{1}{4}\right)^3}.
Now, either (1x)y314\sum (1-x)y \ge 3 \cdot \frac{1}{4}, or (1x)y(14)3\prod (1-x)y \ge \left(\frac{1}{4}\right)^3, so at least one expression is at least 14\frac{1}{4}. In fact always (1x)y=(1x)x((1x)+x2)2=(14)3\prod (1-x)y = \prod (1-x)x \le \prod \left(\frac{(1-x)+x}{2}\right)^2 = \left(\frac{1}{4}\right)^3.

Alternative Solution. The use of values xx and 1x1-x, et al. does suggest looking around value 12\frac{1}{2}, the mid-value. There are four cases.

1) If none of x,y,zx, y, z is at least 1/21/2, then x<(1x)\prod x < \prod (1-x), absurd.

2) If exactly one of x,y,zx, y, z is at least 1/21/2, say xx, then (1z)x>1/4(1-z)x > 1/4.

3) If exactly two of x,y,zx, y, z are at least 1/21/2, say y,zy, z, then (1x)y>1/4(1-x)y > 1/4.

4) If all three of x,y,zx, y, z are at least 1/21/2, then they all must be equal to 1/21/2, otherwise x>(1x)\prod x > \prod (1-x), absurd. Now all three expressions are equal to 1/41/4.

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