Let a, b and c be positive real numbers satisfying abc=1. Prove that a3+2b2+2b+41+b3+2c2+2c+41+c3+2a2+2a+41≤31.
Solution
By the AM-GM inequality, we have a3+b2+b≥33a3b3=3ab, b2+b+1≥33b3=3b. This gives a3+2b2+2b+4≥3ab+3b+3=3(ab+b+1). Since abc=1, we can let a=yx, b=zy, c=xz for some positive real numbers x,y,z. Then we have a3+2b2+2b+41≤3(ab+b+1)1=3(x+y+z)z.(1) By symmetry, we have b3+2c2+2c+41≤3(y+z+x)x,(2) c3+2a2+2a+41≤3(z+x+y)y.(3) Adding (1), (2) and (3), we obtain the desired inequality. Equality holds when a=b=c=1.
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 reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.