Olympiad Maths Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 152 of 400 #1152 of 2000

Problem 1152

National olympiad, first round
Algebra Difficulty 6.2 Prove it

Example 3 Let a,b,ca, b, c be positive real numbers, and satisfy abc=1abc = 1. Try to prove:
1a3(b+c)+1b3(c+a)+1c3(a+b)32 \frac{1}{a^{3}(b+c)}+\frac{1}{b^{3}(c+a)}+\frac{1}{c^{3}(a+b)} \geqslant \frac{3}{2} \text {. }
(36th IMO)

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, read the official solution, then mark yourself honestly — the ladder only means something if the record is true.

Official solution

Analysis: Transform each term, convert to a11q(q<1)\frac{a_{1}}{1-q}(|q|<1), since t=1a+1b+1c>0t=\frac{1}{a}+\frac{1}{b}+\frac{1}{c}>0, so, 0<1ta1tb1tc<10<\frac{1}{t a} 、 \frac{1}{t b} 、 \frac{1}{t c}<1.
Also, abc=1a b c=1, then
1a3(b+c)=abca3(b+c)=bca2(b+c)=1a21b+1c=1a2t1a=1a1ta11ta=1ak=1(1ta)k. \begin{array}{l} \frac{1}{a^{3}(b+c)}=\frac{a b c}{a^{3}(b+c)}=\frac{b c}{a^{2}(b+c)} \\ =\frac{\frac{1}{a^{2}}}{\frac{1}{b}+\frac{1}{c}}=\frac{\frac{1}{a^{2}}}{t-\frac{1}{a}}=\frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{\frac{1}{t a}}{1-\frac{1}{t a}} \\ =\frac{1}{a} \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\left(\frac{1}{t a}\right)^{k} . \end{array}

Similarly, 1b3(c+a)=1bk=1(1tb)k\frac{1}{b^{3}(c+a)}=\frac{1}{b} \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\left(\frac{1}{t b}\right)^{k},
1c3(a+b)=1ck=1(1tc)k. Hence 1a3(b+c)+1b3(c+a)+1c3(a+b)=1t(1a2+1b2+1c2)+1t2(1a3+1b3+1c3)++1tn(1an+1+1bn+1+1cn+1)+1t(1a+1b+1c)23+1t2(1a+1b+1c)332++1tn(1a+1b+1c)n+13n+=1tt23+1t2t332++1tntn+13n+=tk=113k=t13113=12t=12(1a+1b+1c)12×31abc3=32. \begin{aligned} & \frac{1}{c^{3}(a+b)}=\frac{1}{c} \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\left(\frac{1}{t c}\right)^{k} . \\ \text { Hence } & \frac{1}{a^{3}(b+c)}+\frac{1}{b^{3}(c+a)}+\frac{1}{c^{3}(a+b)} \\ = & \frac{1}{t}\left(\frac{1}{a^{2}}+\frac{1}{b^{2}}+\frac{1}{c^{2}}\right)+\frac{1}{t^{2}}\left(\frac{1}{a^{3}}+\frac{1}{b^{3}}+\frac{1}{c^{3}}\right)+ \\ & \cdots+\frac{1}{t^{n}}\left(\frac{1}{a^{n+1}}+\frac{1}{b^{n+1}}+\frac{1}{c^{n+1}}\right)+\cdots \\ \geqslant & \frac{1}{t} \cdot \frac{\left(\frac{1}{a}+\frac{1}{b}+\frac{1}{c}\right)^{2}}{3}+\frac{1}{t^{2}} \cdot \frac{\left(\frac{1}{a}+\frac{1}{b}+\frac{1}{c}\right)^{3}}{3^{2}}+ \\ & \cdots+\frac{1}{t^{n}} \cdot \frac{\left(\frac{1}{a}+\frac{1}{b}+\frac{1}{c}\right)^{n+1}}{3^{n}}+\cdots \\ = & \frac{1}{t} \cdot \frac{t^{2}}{3}+\frac{1}{t^{2}} \cdot \frac{t^{3}}{3^{2}}+\cdots+\frac{1}{t^{n}} \cdot \frac{t^{n+1}}{3^{n}}+\cdots \\ = & t \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{3^{k}} \\ = & t \cdot \frac{\frac{1}{3}}{1-\frac{1}{3}}=\frac{1}{2} t=\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{1}{a}+\frac{1}{b}+\frac{1}{c}\right) \\ \geqslant & \frac{1}{2} \times 3 \sqrt[3]{\frac{1}{a b c}}=\frac{3}{2} . \end{aligned}

Equality holds if and only if a=b=c=1a=b=c=1.
Therefore, the original inequality holds.

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.