Suppose a, b, c are positive numbers such that (a+b+c)(a1+b1+c1)<5+32. Prove that a, b, c are the side lengths of an acute-angled triangle.
Solution
Suppose this is false. Then, without loss of generality, we can assume that a2≥b2+c2. Since (a+b+c)(a1+b1+c1)=3+a(b1+c1)+a1(b+c)+cb+bc, and cb+bc≥2, the hypothesis tells us that a(b1+c1)+a1(b+c)<32⟺(bca+a1)(b+c)<32. But the function x↦bcx+x1 is strictly increasing on the interval [bc,∞), and a≥b2+c2≥2bc. Hence (bca+a1)(b+c)≥(bc2+2bc1)(b+c)=2bc3(b+c)≥2bc6bc=32, which conflicts with the hypotheses. Thus a2<b2+c2. Similarly, b2<c2+a2, c2<a2+b2. From these inequalities it follows easily that a<b+c, b<c+a, c<a+b, and from both sets of inequalities it follows that a, b, c are the lengths of the sides of an acute-angled triangle.
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