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Saudi Arabian Mathematical Competitions

Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it Saudi Arabia

Let x1,x2,…,xnx_{1}, x_{2}, \ldots, x_{n} be positive real numbers for which
11+x1+11+x2+…+11+xn=1 \frac{1}{1+x_{1}}+\frac{1}{1+x_{2}}+\ldots+\frac{1}{1+x_{n}}=1
Prove that
x1x2…xn≥(n−1)n x_{1} x_{2} \ldots x_{n} \geq (n-1)^{n}

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Let yk=11+xk, k=1,2,…,ny_{k}=\frac{1}{1+x_{k}},\ k=1,2, \ldots, n. Then
xk=1yk−1=y1+…+ynyk−1=Skyk x_{k}=\frac{1}{y_{k}}-1=\frac{y_{1}+\ldots+y_{n}}{y_{k}}-1=\frac{S_{k}}{y_{k}}
where
Sk=x1+…+xk−1+xk+1+…+xn,k=1,2,…,n. S_{k}=x_{1}+\ldots+x_{k-1}+x_{k+1}+\ldots+x_{n}, \quad k=1,2, \ldots, n.
Applying AM-GM inequality it follows
Skn−1≥y1…yk−1yk+1…ynn−1 \frac{S_{k}}{n-1} \geq \sqrt[n-1]{y_{1} \ldots y_{k-1} y_{k+1} \ldots y_{n}}
for k=1,2,…,nk=1,2, \ldots, n. We obtain
x1x2…xn=S1S2…Sny1y2…yn≥(n−1)ny1y2…yny1y2…yn=(n−1)n. x_{1} x_{2} \ldots x_{n}=\frac{S_{1} S_{2} \ldots S_{n}}{y_{1} y_{2} \ldots y_{n}} \geq (n-1)^{n} \frac{y_{1} y_{2} \ldots y_{n}}{y_{1} y_{2} \ldots y_{n}}=(n-1)^{n}.
The equality holds if and only if y1=…=yn=1ny_{1}=\ldots=y_{n}=\frac{1}{n} that is x1=…=xn=n−1x_{1}=\ldots=x_{n}=n-1.

Solution 2

Write the condition in the hypothesis as
11+x1+…+11+xn−1=xn1+xn \frac{1}{1+x_{1}}+\ldots+\frac{1}{1+x_{n-1}}=\frac{x_{n}}{1+x_{n}}
Applying AM-GM inequality we get
(n−1)11+x1⋯11+xn−1n−1≤xn1+xn(1) (n-1) \sqrt[n-1]{\frac{1}{1+x_{1}} \cdots \frac{1}{1+x_{n-1}}} \leq \frac{x_{n}}{1+x_{n}} \tag{1}
In similar way we obtain other n−1n-1 inequalities of the form. Therefore, we have
(n−1)11+x1⋯11+xk−111+xk+1⋯11+xnn−1≤xk1+xk(2) (n-1) \sqrt[n-1]{\frac{1}{1+x_{1}} \cdots \frac{1}{1+x_{k-1}} \frac{1}{1+x_{k+1}} \cdots \frac{1}{1+x_{n}}} \leq \frac{x_{k}}{1+x_{k}} \tag{2}
for k=1,2,…,nk=1,2, \ldots, n. Multiplying inequalities (2) and simplifying by 11+x1…11+xn\frac{1}{1+x_{1}} \ldots \frac{1}{1+x_{n}} it follows (n−1)n≤x1…xn(n-1)^{n} \leq x_{1} \ldots x_{n}.

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