Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 122 of 400 #1122 of 1964

Problem 1122

National Olympiad, first round
Algebra Difficulty 6.1 Prove it

Let x,y,zx, y, z be non-negative real numbers, and x+y+z=1x+y+z=1, prove that: 0⩽xy+yz+zx−2xyz⩽7270 \leqslant x y+y z+z x-2 x y z \leqslant \frac{7}{27}.

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

7. By symmetry, without loss of generality, assume x⩾y⩾z⩾0x \geqslant y \geqslant z \geqslant 0. From (x+y)+z=2×12(x+y)+z=2 \times \frac{1}{2}, we know that x+y,12,zx+y, \frac{1}{2}, z form an arithmetic sequence. Hence, let x+y=12+d,z=12−dx+y=\frac{1}{2}+d, z=\frac{1}{2}-d. From x+y⩾2zx+y \geqslant 2 z, we get 16⩽d⩽12\frac{1}{6} \leqslant d \leqslant \frac{1}{2}, then xy+yz+zx−2xyz=(x+y)z+xy(1−2z)=14−d2+2dxy⩾0x y+y z+z x-2 x y z=(x+y) z+x y(1-2 z)=\frac{1}{4}-d^{2}+2 d x y \geqslant 0. The equality holds if and only if x=1,y=z=0x=1, y=z=0.
 Also, 14−d2+2dxy⩽14−d2+2d(x+y2)2=14−d2+12d(12+d)2=14+14×2d(12−d)2⩽14+14[2d+(12−d)+(12−d)3]3=14+14×127=727. \begin{array}{l} \text { Also, } \frac{1}{4}-d^{2}+2 d x y \leqslant \frac{1}{4}-d^{2}+2 d\left(\frac{x+y}{2}\right)^{2}=\frac{1}{4}-d^{2}+\frac{1}{2} d\left(\frac{1}{2}+d\right)^{2}=\frac{1}{4}+\frac{1}{4} \times 2 d\left(\frac{1}{2}-d\right)^{2} \\ \leqslant \frac{1}{4}+\frac{1}{4}\left[\frac{2 d+\left(\frac{1}{2}-d\right)+\left(\frac{1}{2}-d\right)}{3}\right]^{3}=\frac{1}{4}+\frac{1}{4} \times \frac{1}{27}=\frac{7}{27} . \end{array}

The equality holds if and only if x=y=z=13x=y=z=\frac{1}{3}. Therefore, 0⩽xy+yz+zx−2xyz⩽7270 \leqslant x y+y z+z x-2 x y z \leqslant \frac{7}{27}.

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