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Algebra Difficulty 7.4 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it

30. Let PP be any point inside ABC\triangle ABC, and let RR be the circumradius of ABC\triangle ABC. Prove: PABC2+PBCA2+PCAB21R\frac{PA}{BC^2} + \frac{PB}{CA^2} + \frac{PC}{AB^2} \geqslant \frac{1}{R}. (2001 USA National Training Team Selection Test)

Solution

30. As shown in the figure, draw PXBC,PYCAP X \perp B C, P Y \perp C A, PZABP Z \perp A B, with X,Y,ZX, Y, Z being the feet of the perpendiculars. Extend XPX P, and draw perpendiculars from Y,ZY, Z to the extended line, with the feet of the perpendiculars being M,NM, N, respectively. Since PYCA,PZABP Y \perp C A, P Z \perp A B, points A,Y,P,ZA, Y, P, Z are concyclic, and the diameter of the circle is PAP A. According to the sine rule, YZ=PAsinYAZ=PAsinAY Z = P A \sin \angle Y A Z = P A \sin A. Since PXBC,PYCAP X \perp B C, P Y \perp C A, we have ZPN=B,YPM=C\angle Z P N = \angle B, \angle Y P M = \angle C. Considering the horizontal projection of YZY Z, we have YZZM+NYY Z \geqslant Z M + N Y, with equality holding if and only if YZPXY Z \perp P X. And ZM=PZsinZPN=PZsinB,NY=PYsinYPM=PYsinCZ M = P Z \sin \angle Z P N = P Z \sin B, N Y = P Y \sin \angle Y P M = P Y \sin C. Thus, from YZZM+NYY Z \geqslant Z M + N Y, we get
PAsinAPZsinB+PYsinCP A \sin A \geqslant P Z \sin B + P Y \sin C

Multiplying both sides by 2R2 R, we get
PAABPZCA+PYABP A \cdot A B \geqslant P Z \cdot C A + P Y \cdot A B

Equality holds in inequality (1) if and only if YZPXY Z \perp P X. Similarly, we can prove that
PBCAPXAB+PZBCP B \cdot C A \geqslant P X \cdot A B + P Z \cdot B C

Equality holds in inequality (2) if and only if XZPYX Z \perp P Y.
PCABPXCA+PYBCP C \cdot A B \geqslant P X \cdot C A + P Y \cdot B C

Equality holds in inequality (3) if and only if PZXYP Z \perp X Y. Applying inequalities (1), (2), and (3) to the left side of the inequality and using the AM-GM inequality, we get
PABC2+PBCA2+PCAB2=1BC3PABC+1CA3PBCA+1AB3PCAB1BC3(PZCA+PYAB)+1CA3(PXAB+PZBC)+1AB3(PXCA+PYBC)=(ABCA3+CAAB3)PX+(ABBC3+BCAB3)PY+(BCCA3+CABC3)PZ2ABCAPX+2ABBCPY+2BCCAPZ=4ABBCCA12(BCPX+CAPY+ABPZ)=4SABCABBCCA=1R\begin{array}{l} \frac{P A}{B C^{2}} + \frac{P B}{C A^{2}} + \frac{P C}{A B^{2}} = \frac{1}{B C^{3}} \cdot P A \cdot B C + \frac{1}{C A^{3}} \cdot P B \cdot C A + \frac{1}{A B^{3}} \cdot P C \cdot A B \geqslant \\ \frac{1}{B C^{3}}(P Z \cdot C A + P Y \cdot A B) + \\ \frac{1}{C A^{3}} \cdot (P X \cdot A B + P Z \cdot B C) + \\ \frac{1}{A B^{3}} \cdot (P X \cdot C A + P Y \cdot B C) = \\ \left(\frac{A B}{C A^{3}} + \frac{C A}{A B^{3}}\right) P X + \left(\frac{A B}{B C^{3}} + \frac{B C}{A B^{3}}\right) P Y + \left(\frac{B C}{C A^{3}} + \frac{C A}{B C^{3}}\right) P Z \geqslant \\ \frac{2}{A B \cdot C A} \cdot P X + \frac{2}{A B \cdot B C} \cdot P Y + \frac{2}{B C \cdot C A} \cdot P Z = \\ \frac{4}{A B \cdot B C \cdot C A} \cdot \frac{1}{2}(B C \cdot P X + C A \cdot P Y + A B \cdot P Z) = \\ \frac{4 S_{\triangle A B C}}{A B \cdot B C \cdot C A} = \frac{1}{R} \end{array}

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.