Olympiad Maths Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 112 of 400 #1112 of 2000

Problem 1112

National olympiad, first round
Algebra Difficulty 6.2 Prove it

12. (GRE 2) In a triangle ABCA B C, choose any points KBC,LACK \in B C, L \in A C, MAB,NLM,RMKM \in A B, N \in L M, R \in M K, and FKLF \in K L. If E1,E2,E3,E4,E5E_{1}, E_{2}, E_{3}, E_{4}, E_{5}, E6E_{6}, and EE denote the areas of the triangles AMR,CKR,BKF,ALFA M R, C K R, B K F, A L F, BNM,CLNB N M, C L N, and ABCA B C respectively, show that
E8E1E2E3E4E5E68 E \geq 8 \sqrt[8]{E_{1} E_{2} E_{3} E_{4} E_{5} E_{6}}

Remark. Points K,L,M,N,R,FK, L, M, N, R, F lie on segments BC,AC,AB,LMB C, A C, A B, L M, MK,KLM K, K L respectively.

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

12. Let E(XYZ)E(X Y Z) stand for the area of a triangle XYZX Y Z. We have
E1E=E(AMR)E(AMK)E(AMK)E(ABK)E(ABK)E(ABC)=MRMKAMABBKBC(E1E)1/313(MRMK+AMAB+BKBC). \begin{array}{c} \frac{E_{1}}{E}=\frac{E(A M R)}{E(A M K)} \cdot \frac{E(A M K)}{E(A B K)} \cdot \frac{E(A B K)}{E(A B C)}=\frac{M R}{M K} \cdot \frac{A M}{A B} \cdot \frac{B K}{B C} \Rightarrow \\ \left(\frac{E_{1}}{E}\right)^{1 / 3} \leq \frac{1}{3}\left(\frac{M R}{M K}+\frac{A M}{A B}+\frac{B K}{B C}\right) . \end{array}

We similarly obtain
(E2E)1/313(KRMK+BMAB+CKBC). \left(\frac{E_{2}}{E}\right)^{1 / 3} \leq \frac{1}{3}\left(\frac{K R}{M K}+\frac{B M}{A B}+\frac{C K}{B C}\right) .

Therefore (E1/E)1/3+(E2/E)1/31\left(E_{1} / E\right)^{1 / 3}+\left(E_{2} / E\right)^{1 / 3} \leq 1, i.e.. E13+E23E3\sqrt[3]{E_{1}}+\sqrt[3]{E_{2}} \leq \sqrt[3]{E}. Analogously, E33+E43E3\sqrt[3]{E_{3}}+\sqrt[3]{E_{4}} \leq \sqrt[3]{E} and E53+E63E3\sqrt[3]{E_{5}}+\sqrt[3]{E_{6}} \leq \sqrt[3]{E}; hence
8E1E2E3E4E5E68=2(E13E23)1/22(E33E43)1/22(E53E63)1/2(E13+E23)(E33+E43)(E53+E63)E. \begin{array}{l} 8 \sqrt[8]{E_{1} E_{2} E_{3} E_{4} E_{5} E_{6}} \\ \quad=2\left(\sqrt[3]{E_{1}} \sqrt[3]{E_{2}}\right)^{1 / 2} \cdot 2\left(\sqrt[3]{E_{3}} \sqrt[3]{E_{4}}\right)^{1 / 2} \cdot 2\left(\sqrt[3]{E_{5}} \sqrt[3]{E_{6}}\right)^{1 / 2} \\ \quad \leq\left(\sqrt[3]{E_{1}}+\sqrt[3]{E_{2}}\right) \cdot\left(\sqrt[3]{E_{3}}+\sqrt[3]{E_{4}}\right) \cdot\left(\sqrt[3]{E_{5}}+\sqrt[3]{E_{6}}\right) \leq E . \end{array}

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