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Algebra Difficulty 6.0 AIME, harder Find the answer

Solve the following equation for x,y,zNx , y , z \in \mathbb{N} :
(1+xy+z)2+(1+yz+x)2+(1+zx+y)2=274\left (1+ \frac{x}{y+z} \right )^2+\left (1+ \frac{y}{z+x} \right )^2+\left (1+ \frac{z}{x+y} \right )^2=\frac{27}{4}

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

We are given the equation:

(1+xy+z)2+(1+yz+x)2+(1+zx+y)2=274 \left(1+ \frac{x}{y+z} \right)^2 + \left(1+ \frac{y}{z+x} \right)^2 + \left(1+ \frac{z}{x+y} \right)^2 = \frac{27}{4}

and need to solve for x,y,zNx, y, z \in \mathbb{N}.

Let's start by expanding each term inside the equation:

(1+xy+z)2=1+2xy+z+x2(y+z)2 \left(1+ \frac{x}{y+z} \right)^2 = 1 + 2\frac{x}{y+z} + \frac{x^2}{(y+z)^2}

Similarly, we have:

(1+yz+x)2=1+2yz+x+y2(z+x)2 \left(1+ \frac{y}{z+x} \right)^2 = 1 + 2\frac{y}{z+x} + \frac{y^2}{(z+x)^2}

(1+zx+y)2=1+2zx+y+z2(x+y)2 \left(1+ \frac{z}{x+y} \right)^2 = 1 + 2\frac{z}{x+y} + \frac{z^2}{(x+y)^2}

Substituting these expanded forms back into the original equation gives:

1+2xy+z+x2(y+z)2+1+2yz+x+y2(z+x)2+1+2zx+y+z2(x+y)2=274 1 + 2\frac{x}{y+z} + \frac{x^2}{(y+z)^2} + 1 + 2\frac{y}{z+x} + \frac{y^2}{(z+x)^2} + 1 + 2\frac{z}{x+y} + \frac{z^2}{(x+y)^2} = \frac{27}{4}

Combine the constant terms:

3+2(xy+z+yz+x+zx+y)+(x2(y+z)2+y2(z+x)2+z2(x+y)2)=274 3 + 2\left(\frac{x}{y+z} + \frac{y}{z+x} + \frac{z}{x+y}\right) + \left(\frac{x^2}{(y+z)^2} + \frac{y^2}{(z+x)^2} + \frac{z^2}{(x+y)^2}\right) = \frac{27}{4}

Subtract 3 from both sides:

2(xy+z+yz+x+zx+y)+(x2(y+z)2+y2(z+x)2+z2(x+y)2)=154 2\left(\frac{x}{y+z} + \frac{y}{z+x} + \frac{z}{x+y}\right) + \left(\frac{x^2}{(y+z)^2} + \frac{y^2}{(z+x)^2} + \frac{z^2}{(x+y)^2}\right) = \frac{15}{4}

Assume x=y=zx = y = z. Then:

xy+z=x2x=12 \frac{x}{y+z} = \frac{x}{2x} = \frac{1}{2}

yz+x=y2y=12 \frac{y}{z+x} = \frac{y}{2y} = \frac{1}{2}

zx+y=z2z=12 \frac{z}{x+y} = \frac{z}{2z} = \frac{1}{2}

Thus, the equation becomes:

2(12+12+12)+(14+14+14)=154 2\left(\frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2}\right) + \left(\frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4}\right) = \frac{15}{4}

This simplifies to:

2×32+34=3+34=124+34=154 2 \times \frac{3}{2} + \frac{3}{4} = 3 + \frac{3}{4} = \frac{12}{4} + \frac{3}{4} = \frac{15}{4}

Thus, the condition holds true when x=y=zx = y = z. Therefore, the solution is:

x=y=z \boxed{x = y = z}

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