AlgebraDifficulty 7.3National olympiad, round 2Prove it
Example 6 Let ABCD be a convex quadrilateral with an inscribed circle, and each of its interior and exterior angles is not less than 60∘. Prove: 31AB3−AD3∣⩽∣BC3−CD3∣⩽3∣AB3−AD3∣. When does equality hold? (33rd United States of America Mathematical Olympiad problem)
Solution
Prove using the cosine theorem, we know BD2=AD2+AB2−2AD⋅ABcos∠DAB=CD2+BC2−2CD⋅BCcos∠DCB
From the given conditions, we know 60∘⩽∠DAB,∠DCB⩽120∘, hence −21⩽cos∠DAB⩽21,−21⩽cos∠DCB⩽21, thus 3BD2−(AB2+AD2+AB⋅AD)=2(AB2+AD2)−AB⋅AD(1+6cos∠DAB)⩾2(AB2+AD2)−4AB⋅AD=2(AB−AD)2⩾0