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Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Find the answer

Let x,y x, y be positive real numbers such that x3+y3x2+y2 x^{3} + y^{3} \leq x^{2} + y^{2} . Find the greatest possible value of the product xy x y .

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

We have (x+y)(x2+y2)(x+y)(x3+y3)(x2+y2)2(x+y)\left(x^{2}+y^{2}\right) \geq(x+y)\left(x^{3}+y^{3}\right) \geq\left(x^{2}+y^{2}\right)^{2}, hence x+yx2+y2x+y \geq x^{2}+y^{2}. Now 2(x+y)(1+1)(x2+y2)(x+y)22(x+y) \geq(1+1)\left(x^{2}+y^{2}\right) \geq(x+y)^{2}, thus 2x+y2 \geq x+y. Because x+y2xyx+y \geq 2 \sqrt{x y}, we will obtain 1xy1 \geq x y. Equality holds when x=y=1x=y=1.

So the greatest possible value of the product xyx y is 1.

## Solution 2

By AMGMA M-G M we have x3+y3xy(x2+y2)x^{3}+y^{3} \geq \sqrt{x y} \cdot\left(x^{2}+y^{2}\right), hence 1xy1 \geq \sqrt{x y} since x2+y2x3+y3x^{2}+y^{2} \geq x^{3}+y^{3}. Equality holds when x=y=1x=y=1. So the greatest possible value of the product xyx y is 1.

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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.