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Algebra Difficulty 5.5 AIME, harder Prove it Ireland

Suppose p1p \ge 1 and aa, bb, cc are the side lengths of a triangle. Prove that
2(ap+bp+cp)<(a+b+c)(ap1+bp1+cp1)3(ap+bp+cp). 2(a^p + b^p + c^p) < (a+b+c)(a^{p-1} + b^{p-1} + c^{p-1}) \le 3(a^p + b^p + c^p).

Solution

Notice that
(a+b+c)(ap1+bp1+cp1)2(ap+bp+cp)=(b+c)ap1+(c+a)bp1+(a+b)cp1apbpcp=(b+ca)ap1+(c+ab)bp1+(a+bc)cp1>0, \begin{align*} & (a + b + c)(a^{p-1} + b^{p-1} + c^{p-1}) - 2(a^p + b^p + c^p) \\ &= (b + c)a^{p-1} + (c + a)b^{p-1} + (a + b)c^{p-1} - a^p - b^p - c^p \\ &= (b + c - a)a^{p-1} + (c + a - b)b^{p-1} + (a + b - c)c^{p-1} > 0, \end{align*}
by the triangle inequality, since aa, bb, cc are positive. Hence the left inequality holds.

Clearly, the right inequality holds if p=1p = 1. So, suppose p>1p > 1 and apply Hölder's inequality to a+b+ca+b+c, with exponents pp, qq, where q=p/(p1)q = p/(p-1), to get
a+b+c(ap+bp+cp)1/p31/q. a+b+c \le (a^p + b^p + c^p)^{1/p} \cdot 3^{1/q}.
Next, apply Hölder's inequality to ap1+bp1+cp1a^{p-1} + b^{p-1} + c^{p-1}, with exponents qq, pp, to get
ap1+bp1+cp1(aq(p1)+bq(p1)+cq(p1))1/q31/p=(ap+bp+cp)1/q31/p. a^{p-1} + b^{p-1} + c^{p-1} \le (a^{q(p-1)} + b^{q(p-1)} + c^{q(p-1)})^{1/q} 3^{1/p} = (a^p + b^p + c^p)^{1/q} 3^{1/p}.
Combining these inequalities, the right inequality follows.

Here is an alternative proof of the second inequality. Observe that
3(ap+bp+cp)(a+b+c)(ap1+bp1+cp1)=2(ap+bp+cp)(b+c)ap1(c+a)bp1(a+b)cp1=(apap1babp1+bp)+(bpbp1cbcp1+cp)+(cpcp1acap1+ap)=(ap1bp1)(ab)+(bp1cp1)(bc)+(cp1ap1)(ca)0, \begin{aligned} & 3(a^p + b^p + c^p) - (a+b+c)(a^{p-1} + b^{p-1} + c^{p-1}) \\ &= 2(a^p + b^p + c^p) - (b+c)a^{p-1} - (c+a)b^{p-1} - (a+b)c^{p-1} \\ &= (a^p - a^{p-1}b - ab^{p-1} + b^p) + (b^p - b^{p-1}c - bc^{p-1} + c^p) \\ &\quad + (c^p - c^{p-1}a - ca^{p-1} + a^p) \\ &= (a^{p-1} - b^{p-1})(a-b) + (b^{p-1} - c^{p-1})(b-c) + (c^{p-1} - a^{p-1})(c-a) \\ &\ge 0, \end{aligned}
since aa, bb, cc are positive, and, for r0r \ge 0, the function ttrt \mapsto t^r is increasing on (0,)(0, \infty), so that (xp1yp1)(xy)0(x^{p-1} - y^{p-1})(x - y) \ge 0 for all positive xx, yy.

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