AlgebraDifficulty 6.0National OlympiadProve itHong Kong
Let a, b and c be positive real numbers such that ab+bc+ca=1. Prove that 4a3+63b+4b3+63c+4c3+63a≤abc1. When does the equality hold?
Solution
(IMO Shortlist 2004 A5 modified) By the power mean inequality, we have S:=4a3+63b+4b3+63c+4c3+63a≤3431(a3+63b+b3+63c+c3+63a)=3874abc(ab+bc+ca)+6abc(a+b+c). Note that ab+bc+ca=1 and abc(a+b+c)=(ab)(bc)+(bc)(ca)+(ca)(ab)≤31(ab+bc+ca)2=31. Therefore, we have S≤3874abc3=389(abc)−41. It remains to prove abc≤3−23. Indeed, by the AM-GM inequality, we have 1=ab+bc+ca≥33a2b2c2. This clearly implies abc≤3−23. This proves the desired inequality. Equality holds when a=b=c=31.
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