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Algebra Difficulty 6.0 National olympiad Find the answer

Find all triples (a,b,c)(a,b,c) of real numbers such that the following system holds:
{a+b+c=1a+1b+1ca2+b2+c2=1a2+1b2+1c2\begin{cases} a+b+c=\frac{1}{a}+\frac{1}{b}+\frac{1}{c} \\a^2+b^2+c^2=\frac{1}{a^2}+\frac{1}{b^2}+\frac{1}{c^2}\end{cases}

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

Solution

To find all triples (a,b,c)(a, b, c) of real numbers that satisfy the given system of equations, we start by analyzing the conditions:

1. The first equation is:
a+b+c=1a+1b+1c. a + b + c = \frac{1}{a} + \frac{1}{b} + \frac{1}{c}.
This can be rewritten as:
a+b+c=ab+ac+bcabc. a + b + c = \frac{ab + ac + bc}{abc}.
Multiplying both sides by abcabc, we obtain:
abc(a+b+c)=ab+ac+bc. abc(a + b + c) = ab + ac + bc.

2. The second equation is:
a2+b2+c2=1a2+1b2+1c2. a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = \frac{1}{a^2} + \frac{1}{b^2} + \frac{1}{c^2}.
Similarly, this can be rewritten as:
a2+b2+c2=b2c2+a2c2+a2b2a2b2c2. a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = \frac{b^2c^2 + a^2c^2 + a^2b^2}{a^2b^2c^2}.
Multiplying both sides by a2b2c2a^2b^2c^2, we have:
a2b2c2(a2+b2+c2)=b2c2+a2c2+a2b2. a^2b^2c^2(a^2 + b^2 + c^2) = b^2c^2 + a^2c^2 + a^2b^2.

### Solution Strategy

To find solutions, consider particular simple configurations of the variables that are symmetric or involve known functional forms:

#### Case 1: One of the variables is ±1\pm 1

Assume a=1a = 1. Then the system of equations simplifies significantly:

- Substituting a=1a = 1 in the first equation:
1+b+c=1+1b+1c    b+c=1b+1c. 1 + b + c = 1 + \frac{1}{b} + \frac{1}{c} \implies b + c = \frac{1}{b} + \frac{1}{c}.
Multiplying through by bcbc:
bc(b+c)=b+c. bc(b + c) = b + c.
This implies if b+c0b + c \neq 0, then bc=1bc = 1.

- Substituting a=1a = 1 in the second equation:
12+b2+c2=1+1b2+1c2    b2+c2=1b2+1c2. 1^2 + b^2 + c^2 = 1 + \frac{1}{b^2} + \frac{1}{c^2} \implies b^2 + c^2 = \frac{1}{b^2} + \frac{1}{c^2}.
Again, multiplying through by b2c2b^2c^2:
b2c2(b2+c2)=b2+c2, b^2c^2(b^2 + c^2) = b^2 + c^2,
implying b2c2=1b^2c^2 = 1, maintaining bc=1bc = 1.

Given bc=1bc = 1, this leads to solutions for (b,c)(b, c) of the form (x,1x)(x, \frac{1}{x}).

The symmetric nature implies the solutions are:
- (1,x,1x)(1, x, \frac{1}{x}), with permutations.
- (1,x,1x)(-1, x, \frac{1}{x}), with permutations by a similar argument when a=1a = -1.

Thus, the final set of solutions is:
(±1,x,1x) and permutations. \boxed{(\pm 1, x, \frac{1}{x})} \text{ and permutations.}

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