Olympiad Maths Prep

Library / /18 of 30

Algebra Difficulty 6.4 National olympiad Prove it Belarus

Find the value of the expression
(a+b+c)(1a+b5c+1b+c5a+1c+a5b),(a+b+c) \left( \frac{1}{a+b-5c} + \frac{1}{b+c-5a} + \frac{1}{c+a-5b} \right),
if real aa, bb, cc satisfy the equality (a+b+c)(1a+1b+1c)=272(a+b+c) \left( \frac{1}{a} + \frac{1}{b} + \frac{1}{c} \right) = \frac{27}{2} (all denominators are supposed to be different from zero).

Solution

Set a+b+c=xa+b+c = x and 1a+1b+1c=y\frac{1}{a} + \frac{1}{b} + \frac{1}{c} = y. Let k=x6k = \frac{x}{6}, then
a+b5c=6(kc),b+c5a=6(ka),c+a5b=6(kb). a+b-5c=6(k-c), \quad b+c-5a=6(k-a), \quad c+a-5b=6(k-b).
It follows that
(a+b+c)(1a+b5c+1b+c5a+1c+a5b)=x6(1ka+1kb+1kc).(1) (a+b+c) \left( \frac{1}{a+b-5c} + \frac{1}{b+c-5a} + \frac{1}{c+a-5b} \right) = \frac{x}{6} \left( \frac{1}{k-a} + \frac{1}{k-b} + \frac{1}{k-c} \right). \quad (1)
Adding the fractions in the right-hand side of (1), we obtain AB\frac{A}{B}, where
A=(ka)(kb)+(kb)(kc)+(kc)(ka) and B=(ka)(kb)(kc).(2) A = (k-a)(k-b) + (k-b)(k-c) + (k-c)(k-a) \text{ and } B = (k-a)(k-b)(k-c). \quad (2)
Let z=abcz = abc, then ab+bc+ca=yzab + bc + ca = yz. From (2) it follows
A=3k22zk+yzandB=k3zk2+yzz.(3) A = 3k^2 - 2zk + yz \quad \text{and}\quad B = k^3 - zk^2 + yz - z. \quad (3)
Since x=6kx = 6k and xy=272xy = \frac{27}{2}, we have y=94ky = \frac{9}{4k}. Substitute for xx and yy in (3) to obtain
A=3k226kk+94kz=9(k2+z4k),B=k36kk2+94kzkz=5k(k2+z4k). A = 3k^2 - 2 \cdot 6k \cdot k + \frac{9}{4k}z = 9 \left(-k^2 + \frac{z}{4k}\right), \quad B = k^3 - 6k \cdot k^2 + \frac{9}{4k}zk - z = 5k \left(-k^2 + \frac{z}{4k}\right).
Thus
AB=95k,andx6AB=k95k=95. \frac{A}{B} = \frac{9}{5k}, \quad \text{and}\quad \frac{x}{6} \cdot \frac{A}{B} = k \cdot \frac{9}{5k} = \frac{9}{5}.
Hence
(a+b+c)(1a+b5c+1b+c5a+1c+a5b)=95. (a+b+c) \left( \frac{1}{a+b-5c} + \frac{1}{b+c-5a} + \frac{1}{c+a-5b} \right) = \frac{9}{5}.

Looking for a route rather than 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 and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.