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Ozgur Kircak
1 MEANS INEQUALITIES 5
1.1 EXERCISES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2 CAUCHY-SCHWARZ INEQUALITY 11
2.1 EXERCISES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3 REARRANGEMENT INEQUALITY 17
3.1 EXERCISES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4 CHEBYSHEVS INEQUALITY 21
4.1 EXERCISES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5 MIXED PROBLEMS 25
3
4 CONTENTS
Chapter 1
MEANS INEQUALITIES
a1 +a2 +...+an
Definition 1 Arithmetic mean of a1 , a2 , ..., an is AM = n
Definition 2 Geometric mean of a1 , a2 , ..., an is GM = n
a1 a2 ... an
n
Definition 3 Harmonic mean of a1 , a2 , ..., an is HM = 1
+ a1 +...+ a1n
a1 2
q
a21 +a22 +...+a2n
Definition 4 Quadratic mean of a1 , a2 , ..., an is QM = n
q
r ar1 +ar2 +...+arn
Definition 5 The rth power mean of a1 , a2 , ..., an is Pr = n
Theorem 1 Let ai R+
a2 + b2 + c2 ab + bc + ca (1.1)
5
6 CHAPTER 1. MEANS INEQUALITIES
a b c
Example 2 Prove that if a, b, c > 0, then b + c + a 3.
a b c
q
b+c+a abc a b c
Solution: By AM-GM we have 3 3
bca = 1. So, b + c + a 3.
1 1 1 9
+ + .
a+b b+c c+a 2(a + b + c)
Therefore,
1 1 1 9
+ + .
a+b b+c c+a 2(a + b + c)
a b c 3
+ + . (1.2)
b+c c+a a+b 2
1 1 1 9
(a + b + c)[
+ + ]
a+b b+c c+a 2
a+b+c a+b+c a+b+c 9
+ +
a+b b+c c+a 2
a a a 9
+1+ +1+ +1
b+c b+c b+c 2
a a a 3
+ + .
b+c b+c b+c 2
Solution: By AM P3 we have,
p p s p p
3 3
3+ 33+ 3 33 3 (
3 3
3 + 3 3)3 + ( 3 3 3)3
3
= 3.
2 2
1.1 EXERCISES
1. Prove that for any positive real numbers a, b, c we have
(a + 2)(b + 3)(c + 6) 48 abc.
x2 + y 2 + 12z 2 + 1
x + y + 1.
4z
9. Prove that the inequality (3a + b + c)2 12a(b + c) holds for any real
numbers a, b, c.
10. Prove that if x, y, z > 0, then
(a) 1 + 1 + 1 1
+ 1
+ z1 .
xy yz zx x y
x2 y2 z2
(b) y2 + z2 + + yz + xy .
x2 x
z
2
2 2
q
(c) xy + yz + zx x yz + y xz + z xy .
p p
(d) x4 + y 4 + z 4 xyz( xy + yz + zx).
8 CHAPTER 1. MEANS INEQUALITIES
a b c 3 1 1 1
2
+ 2
+ 2
+ + .
1+a 1+b 1+c 2 1+a 1+b 1+c
a b
(1 + )n + (1 + )n 2n+1 .
b a
17. Prove that if a1 , a2 , ..., an are distinct positive real numbers and
a1 + a2 + ... + an = S, then
S S S n2
+ + ... + > .
S a1 S a2 S an n1
20. Let x, y 1. Prove that x y 1 + y x 1 xy.
2
21. Prove the inequality x +2 2 for any x R.
x2 +1
x2 +y 2
22. Let x > y > 0 and xy = 1. Prove that xy > 2 2.
4
23. Prove that if x > y 0, then x + (xy)(y+1)2 3.
1.1. EXERCISES 9
a3 b3 c3
24. Prove that if a, b, c > 0 then bc + ca + ab a + b + c.
25. Prove that if a + b + c = 1, then a2 + b2 + c2 31 .
26. Prove that if a + b + c = 3, then a2 + b2 + c2 3 ab + bc + ca.
27. Let a, b, c be positive real numbers such that a2 + b2 + c2 = 3. Prove that
1 1 1
+ + 1.
a+b+1 b+c+1 c+a+1
a3 + 2 b3 + 2 c3 + 2 3
+ + .
3b + 3c 3c + 3a 3a + 3b 2
a + b + c + d = 12
abcd = 27 + ab + ac + ad + bc + bd + cd.
4x2
= y,
4x2 + 1
4y 2
= z,
4y 2 + 1
4z 2
= x.
4z 2 + 1
CAUCHY-SCHWARZ
INEQUALITY
(x21 + x22 + ... + x2n )(y12 + y22 + ... + yn2 ) (x1 y1 + x2 y2 + ... + xn yn )2
x1 x2 xn
and equality holds if and only if y1 = y2 = ... = yn .
(a+b+c)2
Example 6 Prove that a2 +b2 +c2 3 for any real numbers a, b, c.
11
12 CHAPTER 2. CAUCHY-SCHWARZ INEQUALITY
This is a very useful trick that can be applied to many problems. We can
generalize this result as:
a3 b3 c3 a2 +b2 +c2
Example 8 Let a, b, c > 0. Prove that b+c + c+a + a+b 2 .
a3 a4 b3 b4
Solution: We can write b+c = ab+ac and similarly c+a = bc+ba and
c3 c4
a+b = ca+cb .
So by (2.1) we have
a4 b4 c4 (a2 + b2 + c2 )2 a2 + b2 + c2
LHS = + +
ab + ac bc + ba ca + cb 2(ab + bc + ca) 2
by (1.1) as desired.
2.1. EXERCISES 13
2.1 EXERCISES
(x+2y+3z)2
46. Prove that the inequality x2 +y 2 +z 2 14 holds for any x, y, z R.
47. Prove that if a, b, c > 0, then
1 1 1
(a + b + c)( + + ) 9.
a b c
1
48. Prove that if x, y > 0 and x + 3y = 1 then x2 + y 2 10 .
x1 + x2 + ... + xk = 9
1 1 1
+ + ... + =1
x1 x2 xk
where xi R+ .
52. Prove that if a, b, c are positive real numbers with abc = 1, then
a2 b2 c2 3
+ + .
a+b b+c c+a 2
a2 b2 c2
+ + 1.
a+b+1 b+c+1 c+a+1
a2 b2 c2
+ + 1.
a+b+1 b+c+1 c+a+1
a3 b3 c3
+ + 1.
a + 2b b + 2c c + 2a
a3 b3 c3 a2 b2 c2
2
+ 2+ 2 + + .
b c a b c a
x4 y4 z4 (x + y + z)4
+ + .
a3 b3 c3 (a + b + c)3
a4 + b4 a2 + b2
.
a3 + b3 a+b
a2 + b2 + 1 b2 + c2 + 1 c2 + a2 + 1
+ + 3.
a+b+1 b+c+1 c+a+1
a3 b3 c3
+ + 1.
x y z
27a2 (b + c)2
+ 12b.
c a
a3 b3 c3 d3 1
+ + + .
b+c+d a+c+d a+b+d a+b+c 3
a2 (b + 1) b2 (c + 1) c2 (a + 1)
+ + 2.
a + b + ab b + c + bc c + a + ca
16 CHAPTER 2. CAUCHY-SCHWARZ INEQUALITY
Chapter 3
REARRANGEMENT
INEQUALITY
a2 + b2 + c2 = a a + b b + c c a b + b c + c a.
ab bc ca
+ + a + b + c.
c a b
1 1 1 1 1 1
LHS = ab + ac + bc ab + ac + bc = a + b + c.
c b a a c b
17
18 CHAPTER 3. REARRANGEMENT INEQUALITY
1 1 1 1 1 1 a2 b2 c2
LHS = a3 + b3 + c 3 a3 + b3 + c3 = + +
bc ca ab ca ab bc c a b
And again by Rearrangement inequality, being the reversed sum
1 1 1 1 1 1
a + b + c = a2 + b2 + c2 a2 + b2 + c2
a b c c a b
Combining these two inequalities we get that
a3 b3 c3
+ + a + b + c.
bc ca ab
3.1 EXERCISES
76. Let a, b, c be positive real numbers. Prove that
(a) a3 + b3 ab(a + b)
(b) a5 + b5 ab(a3 + b3 )
(c) a3 + b3 + c3 a2 b + b2 c + c2 a
(d) ab + bc + ca a bc + b ca + c ab
a2 b2 c2
(e) b + c + a a+b+c
a2 b2 c2 b c a
(f) b2 + c2 + a2 a + b + c
(g) abc(ab + bc + ca) a b + b3 c2 + c3 a23 2
a b c a b c
(h) b+c + c+a + a+b a+b + b+c + c+a .
a2 b2 c2 a2 b2 c2 a2 b2 c2
+ + + + + +
a+b b+c c+a b+c c+a a+b c+a a+b b+c
then a = b = c.
CHEBYSHEVS
INEQUALITY
a b c 1 1 1 1
+ + (a + b + c)( + + ) (4.1)
b+c c+a a+b 3 b+c c+a a+b
And by AM-HM we have
1 1 1 1 3 3
( + + ) = (4.2)
3 b+c c+a a+b b+c+c+a+a+b 2(a + b + c)
Combining (4.1) and (4.2) we get,
a b c 3
+ + .
b+c c+a a+b 2
21
22 CHAPTER 4. CHEBYSHEVS INEQUALITY
a2 b2 c2 3
+ + .
b+c c+a a+b 2
a2 b2 c2 1 1 1 1
+ + (a2 + b2 + c2 )( + + )
b+c c+a a+b 3 b+c c+a a+b
By Example 11 and (4.2) we have that
1 2 1 1 1 (a + b + c)2 3
(a + b2 + c2 )( + + ) =
3 b+c c+a a+b 3 2(a + b + c)
3
a+b+c abc
=
2 2
4.1 EXERCISES
83. Prove that if a, b, c > 0. then
(a+b)(a2 +b2 )
(a) a3 + b3 2
an+1 +bn+1
(b) an +bn a+b
2
4 4 4
(c) a + b + c abc(a + b + c)
(a+b+c)3
(d) a3 + b3 + c3 9
a2 b2 c2 3
+ + .
a + 2b + 2c b + 2c + 2a c + 2a + 2b 5
a3 b3 c3 ab + bc + ca
+ + .
b+c c+a a+b 2
4.1. EXERCISES 23
a3 b3 c3
+ + 1.
b+c+1 c+a+1 a+b+1
a3 b3 c3 d3 1
+ + + .
b+c+d a+c+d a+b+d a+b+c 3
93. Let x, y, z be positive real numbers with xyz = 1 and a 1. Prove that
xa ya za 3
+ + .
y+z z+x x+y 2
a3 b3 c3 1
2 2
+ 2 2
+ 2 2
.
b +c c +a a +b 2
a5 b5 c5 (a + b + c)2
+ 3 + 3 .
b3 +c 3 c +a 3 a +b 3 6
a3 + b3 b3 + c3 c3 + a3
2 2
+ 2 2
+ 2 a + b + c.
a +b b +c c + a2
24 CHAPTER 4. CHEBYSHEVS INEQUALITY
Chapter 5
MIXED PROBLEMS
103. (IMO95/2) Let a, b, and c be positive real numbers such that abc = 1.
Prove that
1 1 1 3
3
+ 3 + 3 .
a (b + c) b (c + a) c (a + b) 2
25
26 CHAPTER 5. MIXED PROBLEMS
a3 b3 c3 1
2 2
+ 2 2
+ 2 2
.
a +b b +c c +a 2
107. Let a, b, c be positive real numbers such that abc 1. Prove that
a b c
+ + a + b + c.
b c a
108. Let a, b, c be positive real numbers such that abc = 1. Prove that
b+c c+a a+b
+ + a + b + c + 3.
a b c
112. (Russia2002) Let x, y, z be positive real numbers with sum 3. Prove that
x + y + z xy + yz + zx.
a3 b3 c3 3(ab + bc + ca)
2 2
+ 2 2
+ 2 2
.
b bc + c c ca + a a ab + b a+b+c
a b c
+ + 1.
a2 + 8bc 2
b + 8ca 2
c + 8ab
a3 + b3 b3 + c3 c3 + a3
+ + a + b + c.
a2 + b2 b2 + c2 c2 + a2
118. Prove that for positive real numbers a, b, c, d the inequality holds
3
3
p
ab + cd 3 (a + c + b)(a + c + d).
p
119. Let x,
py, z be positive reals with x + y + z = 1 and let a = x2 + xy + y 2 ,
b = y 2 + yz + z 2 , c = z 2 + zx + x2 . Prove that ab + bc + ca 1.
120. Let a, b, c > 0. Prove that
1 1 1 9
+ + p .
a+b b+c c+a a + b + c + 3(ab + bc + ca)
a5 b5 c5 1
+ + .
a4 + b4 b4 + c4 c4 + a 4 2
PROBLEMS FROM
OLYMPIADS
a2 b2 c2 4(a b)2
+ + a+b+c+
b c a a+b+c
1 1
+ 1c , a, b, c > 0
4 (Romania 2005, Cezar Lupu) a + b + c a + b
3
a+b+c
abc
29
30 CHAPTER 6. PROBLEMS FROM OLYMPIADS
a b
9 (Romania 2005, Unused) (a + b + c b + c + ac , a, b, c > 0)
a3 c b3 a c3 b 3
+ +
b(c + a) c(a + b) a(b + c) 2
10(a3 + b3 + c3 ) 9(a5 + b5 + c5 ) 1
1 1 1
+ 2 + 2 3
a2 bc + 1 b ca + 1 c ab + 1
19 (Poland 2005) (0 a, b, c 1)
a b c
+ + 2
bc + 1 ca + 1 ab + 1
a3 + b3 + c3 + 6abc 9
a2 b2 c2 4
p +p +p
(1 + a3 )(1 + b3 ) (1 + b3 )(1 + c3 ) (1 + c3 )(1 + a3 ) 3
x5 x2 y5 y2 z5 z2
+ 5 + 5 0
x5 2
+y +z 2 y +z +x2 2 z + x2 + y 2
33
30 (Poland 2004) (a + b + c = 0, a, b, c R)
b2 c2 + c2 a2 + a2 b2 + 3 6abc
1 + x2 1 + y2 1 + z2
+ + 2
1 + y + z2 1 + z + x2 1 + x + y2
1 1 1 1
39 (Latvia 2002) 1+a4 + 1+b4 + 1+c4 + 1+d4 = 1, a, b, c, d > 0
abcd 3
a3 b3 c3
+ + a+b+c
bc ca ab
2(a + b + c) abc 10
a2 b2 c2 3
+ +
1 + 2bc 1 + 2ca 1 + 2ab 5
a b c 3 2
+ + a a + b b + c c
b2 + 1 c2 + 1 a2 + 1 4
2
47 (Greece 2002) (bc 6= 0, 1c
bc 0, a, b, c R)
48 (Taiwan 2002) a, b, c, d 0, 21
abcd a4 + b4 + c4 + d4
(1 a)(1 b)(1 c)(1 d) (1 a) + (1 b)4 + (1 c)4 + (1 d)4
4
49 (APMO 2002) ( x1 + 1
y + 1
z = 1, x, y, z > 0)
x + yz + y + zx + z + xy xyz + x+ y+ z
50 (Ireland 2001) (x + y = 2, x, y 0)
x2 y 2 (x2 + y 2 ) 2.
0 ab + bc + ca abc 2
a b c
+ + 1
a2 + 8bc 2
b + 8ca 2
c + 8ab
(1 xn )m + (1 (1 x)m )n 1
6.1. YEARS 1996 2000 37
67 (Canada 1999) (x + y + z = 1, x, y, z 0)
4
x2 y + y 2 z + z 2 x
27
69 (Turkey, 1999) (c b a 0)
72 (Canda 1999) (x + y + z = 1, x, y, z 0)
4
x2 y + y 2 z + z 2 x
27
1 1 1
73 (Iran 1998) x + y + z = 2, x, y, z > 1
p
x+y+z x1+ y1+ z1
a b c a+b b+c
+ + + +1
b c a b+c a+b
1
76 (Poland 1998) a + b + c + d + e + f = 1, ace + bdf 108 a, b, c, d, e, f > 0
1
abc + bcd + cde + def + ef a + f ab
36
6.1. YEARS 1996 2000 39
x3 y3 z3 3
+ +
(1 + y)(1 + z) (1 + z)(1 + x) (1 + x)(1 + y) 4
a2 + b2 + c2 abc
x9 + y 9 y9 + z9 z 9 + x9
+ + 2
x6 + x3 y 3 + y 6 y6 + y3 z3 + z6 z 6 + z 3 x3 + x6
a2 b2 c2 bc ca ab
+ 2 + 2 1 2 + +
a2 + 2bc b + 2ca c + 2ab a + 2bc b2 + 2ca c2 + 2ab
91 (APMC 1996) (x + y + z + t = 0, x2 + y 2 + z 2 + t2 = 1, x, y, z, t R)
1 xy + yz + zt + tx 0
a2 + b2 + c2 ab bc ca 3(a b)(b c)
6.1. YEARS 1996 2000 41
ab bc ca
+ 5 + 5 1
a5 + b + ab b + c + bc c + a5 + ca
5 5
94 (Poland 1996) a + b + c = 1, a, b, c 34
a b c 9
+ 2 + 2
a2 +1 b +1 c +1 10
a2 b2 1
+
a+1 b+1 3
4 4
(a + b)4 + (b + c)4 + (c + a)4 a + b4 + c4
7
97 (Bearus 1996) (x + y + z = xyz, x, y, z > 0)
xy + yz + zx 9(x + y + z)
2
a+b+c+d (ab + ac + ad + bc + bd + cd)
3
42 CHAPTER 6. PROBLEMS FROM OLYMPIADS
x3 y3 z3 x+y+z
+ 2 + 2
x2 + xy + y 2 y + yz + z 2 z + zx + x2 3
a b c d
+ + + 2
b+c c+d d+a a+b
a b c
+ + + (1 a)(1 b)(1 c) 1.
b+c+1 c+a+1 a+b+1
a b c d
1< + + + <2
a+b+d b+c+a b+c+d a+c+d
6.3. SUPPLEMENTARY PROBLEMS 45
1 1 8
+
x1 y1 z1 2 x2 y2 z2 2 (x1 + x2 )(y1 + y2 ) (z1 + z2 )2
a b c 3
+ +
b+c c+a a+b 2
1 1
+ 2
(1 x)(1 y)(1 z) (1 + x)(1 + y)(1 + z)
ab bc cd da
+ + + 0
b+c c+d d+a a+b
46 CHAPTER 6. PROBLEMS FROM OLYMPIADS
131 (Elemente der Mathematik, Problem 1207, Sefket Arslanagi
c)
(x, y, z > 0)
x y z x+y+z
+ + 3
y z x xyz
132 ( W U RZEL, Walther Janous) (x + y + z = 1, x, y, z > 0)
(1 + x)(1 + y)(1 + z) (1 x2 )2 + (1 y 2 )2 + (1 z 2 )2
urgen Seiffert) (xy > 0, x, y R)
133 ( W U RZEL, Heinz-J
r
2xy x2 + y 2 x+y
+ xy +
x+y 2 2
134 ( W U RZEL, Sefket Arslanagi
c) (a, b, c > 0)
3
a3 b3 c3 (a + b + c)
+ +
x y z 3 (x + y + z)
135 ( W U RZEL, Sefket Arslanagi
c) (abc = 1, a, b, c > 0)
1 1 1 3
+ 2 + 2 .
a2 (b + c) b (c + a) c (a + b) 2
136 ( W U RZEL, Peter Starek, Donauw
orth) (abc = 1, a, b, c > 0)
1 1 1 1
3
+ 3 + 3 (a + b) (c + a) (b + c) 1.
a b c 2
137 ( W U RZEL, Peter Starek, Donauworth) (x+y+z = 3, x2 +y 2 +z 2 =
7, x, y, z > 0)
6 1 x y z
1+ + +
xyz 3 z x y
6.3. SUPPLEMENTARY PROBLEMS 47
138 ( W U RZEL, Sefket Arslanagi
c) (a, b, c > 0)
a b c 3 (a + b + c)
+ + .
b+1 c+1 a+1 a+b+c+3
139 (a, b 0)
a3 (b + 1) + b3 (a + 1) a2 (b + b2 ) + b2 (a + a2 )
141 ([ONI], Gabriel Dospinescu, Mircea Lascu, Marian Tetiva) (a, b, c >
0)
a2 + b2 + c2 + 2abc + 3 (1 + a)(1 + b)(1 + c)
a2 + bc b2 + ca c2 + ab
+ + a+b+c
b+c c+a a+b
1 CRUX with MAYHEM
48 CHAPTER 6. PROBLEMS FROM OLYMPIADS
1 1 1 2(a3 + b3 + c3 )
+ + 3 +
a2 b2 c2 abc
149 (x, y R)
1 (x + y)(1 xy) 1
2 2
2 (1 + x )(1 + y ) 2
|x y| + |y z| + |z x| x+y+z
3
xyz +
3 3
154 (x + y + z = 1, x, y, z > 0)
r
x y z 3
+ +
1x 1y 1z 2
155 (a, b, c R)
p
2 2
p
2 2
p
2 2
3 2
a + (1 b) + b + (1 c) + c + (1 a)
2
158 (x, y, z 0)
a2 (b + c) b2 (c + a) c2 (a + b) 2
2 2
+ 2 2
+ 2 2
> .
(b + c ) (2a + b + c) (c + a ) (2b + c + a) (a + b ) (2c + a + b) 3
a2 b2 c2 2
2 + 2 + 2 < .
2a2 + (b + c) 2b2 + (c + a) 2c2 + (a + b) 3
(a2 + b2 + c2 )2 3(a3 b + b3 c + c3 a)