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Romanian Mathematical Olympiad

Algebra Difficulty 5.0 AIME Prove it Romania

Find the real numbers xx and yy such that
(x2−x+1)(3y2−2y+3)−2=0. (x^2 - x + 1)(3y^2 - 2y + 3) - 2 = 0.

Solution

From x2−x+1=(x−12)2+34≥34x^2 - x + 1 = (x - \frac{1}{2})^2 + \frac{3}{4} \ge \frac{3}{4}, 3y2−2y+3=3(y−13)2+83≥833y^2 - 2y + 3 = 3(y - \frac{1}{3})^2 + \frac{8}{3} \ge \frac{8}{3}
we derive that (x2−x+1)(3y2−2y+3)≥34⋅83=2(x^2 - x + 1)(3y^2 - 2y + 3) \ge \frac{3}{4} \cdot \frac{8}{3} = 2, for any real numbers xx and yy. Equality holds for (3y−1)2=0(3y - 1)^2 = 0 and (x−12)2=0(x - \frac{1}{2})^2 = 0, that is x=12x = \frac{1}{2} and y=13y = \frac{1}{3}.

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