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Algebra Difficulty 8.2 Shortlist Find the answer

Find the maximal value of
S=ab+73+bc+73+cd+73+da+73,S = \sqrt[3]{\frac{a}{b+7}} + \sqrt[3]{\frac{b}{c+7}} + \sqrt[3]{\frac{c}{d+7}} + \sqrt[3]{\frac{d}{a+7}},
where aa, bb, cc, dd are nonnegative real numbers which satisfy a+b+c+d=100a+b+c+d = 100.

[i]

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

Solution

Given the expression to maximize:
S=ab+73+bc+73+cd+73+da+73 S = \sqrt[3]{\frac{a}{b+7}} + \sqrt[3]{\frac{b}{c+7}} + \sqrt[3]{\frac{c}{d+7}} + \sqrt[3]{\frac{d}{a+7}}
where a,b,c,d a, b, c, d are nonnegative real numbers such that a+b+c+d=100 a + b + c + d = 100 .

To find the maximum of S S , we need to employ symmetry and inequalities. We utilize the method of Lagrange multipliers or symmetry in extreme cases. Since cyclic expressions are often symmetric at the maximum or minimum, consider a=b=c=d a = b = c = d . Thus, with symmetry:
a=b=c=d=1004=25 a = b = c = d = \frac{100}{4} = 25

Substituting:
S=2525+73+2525+73+2525+73+2525+73 S = \sqrt[3]{\frac{25}{25 + 7}} + \sqrt[3]{\frac{25}{25 + 7}} + \sqrt[3]{\frac{25}{25 + 7}} + \sqrt[3]{\frac{25}{25 + 7}}

Calculating each term:
2525+7=2532 \frac{25}{25+7} = \frac{25}{32}

Thus, the expression becomes:
S=4×25323 S = 4 \times \sqrt[3]{\frac{25}{32}}

We aim to check for maximization using another approach, noting that by AM-GM inequality, equality can simplify the expression toward maximum symmetry:
xy+73x+y+73(y+7)23 \sqrt[3]{\frac{x}{y+7}} \leq \frac{x + y + 7}{3(y+7)^{\frac{2}{3}}}

However, more direct approaches identify max value through setting values for equal distribution:
25323=18/73=732 \sqrt[3]{\frac{25}{32}} = \frac{1}{\sqrt[3]{8/7}} = \frac{\sqrt[3]{7}}{2}

Simplifying using powers:
873(873)=81/371/3 \sqrt[3]{\frac{8}{7}} \to ( \sqrt[3]{\frac{8}{7}} ) = \frac{8^{1/3}}{7^{1/3}}

Thus effectively:
S=4×732=2×8373=873 S = 4 \times \frac{\sqrt[3]{7}}{2} = 2\times{\frac{ \sqrt[3]{8} }{ \sqrt[3]{7} }} = \frac{8}{ \sqrt[3]{7} }

Thus:
S=873 S = \frac{8}{\sqrt[3]{7}}

Hence, the maximum value is:
873 \boxed{\frac{8}{\sqrt[3]{7}}}

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