Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 210 of 400 #1210 of 1964

Problem 1210

National Olympiad, first round
Algebra Difficulty 6.2 Prove it

Prove that for all positive real numbers a,b,ca, b, c such that abc=1a b c=1 the following inequality holds:

a2b+c2+b2c+a2+c2a+b2⩽a2+b2+c23 \frac{a}{2 b+c^{2}}+\frac{b}{2 c+a^{2}}+\frac{c}{2 a+b^{2}} \leqslant \frac{a^{2}+b^{2}+c^{2}}{3}

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

Solution 1. Using the given condition abc=1a b c=1 we get the following:

∑cyc a2b+c2=∑cyc ab+b+c2⩽ AM-GM ∑cyc a3b2c23=∑cyc (a3⋅a23)⩽ GM-AM ∑cyc (a3⋅a+a+13)=∑cyc a(2a+1)9=29∑cyc a2+19∑cyc a. \begin{aligned} \sum_{\text {cyc }} \frac{a}{2 b+c^{2}} & =\sum_{\text {cyc }} \frac{a}{b+b+c^{2}} \\ & \stackrel{\text { AM-GM }}{\leqslant} \sum_{\text {cyc }} \frac{a}{3 \sqrt[3]{b^{2} c^{2}}}=\sum_{\text {cyc }}\left(\frac{a}{3} \cdot \sqrt[3]{a^{2}}\right) \\ & \stackrel{\text { GM-AM }}{\leqslant} \sum_{\text {cyc }}\left(\frac{a}{3} \cdot \frac{a+a+1}{3}\right)=\sum_{\text {cyc }} \frac{a(2 a+1)}{9}=\frac{2}{9} \sum_{\text {cyc }} a^{2}+\frac{1}{9} \sum_{\text {cyc }} a . \end{aligned}

Now it suffices to prove that 29∑cyc a2+19∑cyc a⩽13∑cyc a2\frac{2}{9} \sum_{\text {cyc }} a^{2}+\frac{1}{9} \sum_{\text {cyc }} a \leqslant \frac{1}{3} \sum_{\text {cyc }} a^{2}, which is equivalent with ∑cyc a2⩾\sum_{\text {cyc }} a^{2} \geqslant ∑cyc a\sum_{\text {cyc }} a and that can be easily proven in the following way:

∑cyca2⩾QM−AM3⋅(∑cyca3)2=∑cyca3⋅∑cyca⩾A−G∑cyca3⋅3abc3=∑cyca \sum_{\mathrm{cyc}} a^{2} \stackrel{\mathrm{QM}-\mathrm{AM}}{\geqslant} 3 \cdot\left(\frac{\sum_{\mathrm{cyc}} a}{3}\right)^{2}=\frac{\sum_{\mathrm{cyc}} a}{3} \cdot \sum_{\mathrm{cyc}} a \stackrel{\mathrm{A}-\mathrm{G}}{\geqslant} \frac{\sum_{\mathrm{cyc}} a}{3} \cdot 3 \sqrt[3]{a b c}=\sum_{\mathrm{cyc}} a

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