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Algebra Difficulty 5.6 AIME, harder Prove it Ireland

Suppose p4p \ge 4. Determine the largest constant qq such that, for all a,b>0a, b > 0,
1a+1b+pa+bqab \frac{1}{a} + \frac{1}{b} + \frac{p}{a+b} \ge \frac{q}{\sqrt{ab}}

Solution

Multiplying through by ab\sqrt{ab} we see that we require the largest number qq so that
a+bab+aba+bpq,a,b>0. \frac{a+b}{\sqrt{ab}} + \frac{\sqrt{ab}}{a+b} p \ge q, \quad \forall a, b > 0.
To deal with this, let
s=a+bab, s = \frac{a+b}{\sqrt{ab}},
so that the inequality becomes
s+psq. s + \frac{p}{s} \ge q.
This suggests that we should look for the minimum value of the function
f(s)=s+ps. f(s) = s + \frac{p}{s}.
But
f(s)2p=(sps)20, f(s) - 2\sqrt{p} = \left(\sqrt{s} - \frac{\sqrt{p}}{\sqrt{s}}\right)^2 \ge 0,
with equality iff s=ps = \sqrt{p}. Hence, f(s)2pf(s) \ge 2\sqrt{p}, s>0\forall s > 0, i.e., q2pq \le 2\sqrt{p}. In other words, for all a,b>0a, b > 0,
1a+1b+pa+b2pab. \frac{1}{a} + \frac{1}{b} + \frac{p}{a+b} \ge \frac{2\sqrt{p}}{\sqrt{ab}}.
To prove that 2p2\sqrt{p} is the best constant, we must confirm that there is a pair of positive numbers a,ba, b such that
a+bab=p    t+1t=p.with t=ab. \frac{a+b}{\sqrt{ab}} = \sqrt{p} \iff t + \frac{1}{t} = \sqrt{p}. \quad \text{with } t = \sqrt{\frac{a}{b}}.
But p4p \ge 4. Hence (p±p4)/2(\sqrt{p} \pm \sqrt{p-4})/2 are two positive solutions of the quadratic equation t2pt+1=0t^2 - \sqrt{p}t + 1 = 0. Choose tt to be any one of these, let a=t2,b=1a = t^2, b = 1 and confirm that
1t2+1+pt2+1=2pt \frac{1}{t^2} + 1 + \frac{p}{t^2 + 1} = \frac{2\sqrt{p}}{t}
Hence q=2pq = 2\sqrt{p}.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.