Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 7 / 220 of 300 #1620 of 1964

Problem 1620

National Olympiad second round; IMO P1/P4
Algebra Difficulty 7.5 Prove it

Given ai>0,i=1,2,⋯ ,n,n∈N,n⩾3a_{i}>0, i=1,2, \cdots, n, n \in \mathrm{N}, n \geqslant 3, and satisfying a1a2⋯an=1a_{1} a_{2} \cdots a_{n}=1. Then
11+(n−1)a1+11+(n−1)a2+⋯+11+(n−1)an⩾1\begin{array}{l} \frac{1}{1+(n-1) a_{1}}+\frac{1}{1+(n-1) a_{2}}+\cdots+\frac{1}{1+(n-1) a_{n}} \\ \geqslant 1 \end{array}

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

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Official solution

Prove by introducing parameter λ\lambda, construct the inequality
11+(n−1)a1⩾a1λa1λ+a2λ+⋯+anλ\frac{1}{1+(n-1) a_{1}} \geqslant \frac{a_{1}^{\lambda}}{a_{1}^{\lambda}+a_{2}^{\lambda}+\cdots+a_{n}^{\lambda}}

Below, we will study the feasibility of inequality (2).
Given a1>0,n⩾3a_{1}>0, n \geqslant 3, after rearrangement, inequality (2) is equivalent to
a2λ+a3λ+⋯+anλ⩾(n−1)a1λ+1a_{2}^{\lambda}+a_{3}^{\lambda}+\cdots+a_{n}^{\lambda} \geqslant(n-1) a_{1}^{\lambda}+1

By the AM-GM inequality, we get a2λ+a3λ+⋯+anλ⩾(n−1)(a2a3⋯an)λn−1a_{2}^{\lambda}+a_{3}^{\lambda}+\cdots+a_{n}^{\lambda} \geqslant(n-1) \left(a_{2} a_{3} \cdots a_{n}\right)^{\frac{\lambda}{n-1}}, and since a1a2a3⋯an=1a_{1} a_{2} a_{3} \cdots a_{n}=1, we have (n−1)⋅(a2a3⋯an)λn−1=(n−1)a1−λn−1(n-1) \cdot \left(a_{2} a_{3} \cdots a_{n}\right)^{\frac{\lambda}{n-1}}=(n-1) a_{1}^{-\frac{\lambda}{n-1}}, thus we obtain
a2λ+a3λ+⋯+anλ⩾(n−1)a1−λn−1a_{2}^{\lambda}+a_{3}^{\lambda}+\cdots+a_{n}^{\lambda} \geqslant(n-1) a_{1}^{-\frac{\lambda}{n-1}}

Comparing (3) and (4), let −λn−1=λ+1-\frac{\lambda}{n-1}=\lambda+1, solving for λ\lambda gives λ=−n−1n\lambda=-\frac{n-1}{n}, hence, there exists a parameter λ=−n−1n\lambda=-\frac{n-1}{n}, such that inequality (2) holds.

Similarly, when i=1,2,3,⋯ ,ni=1,2,3, \cdots, n, the inequality

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.